Baby Baby
by lit1586
Summary: Rory is pregnant... with Jess' baby, but can they face the problems and changes that face them Completed
1. Realization

Baby Baby   
  
Rory stood at the bus stop as Dean climb off the bus and grabbed his luggage. "Rory!" he yelled as she approached him.  
  
"I wasn't sure if you were still mad at Me.," she told him softly.  
  
"It was just a stupid fight. I could never stay mad at you."  
  
"You didn't call."   
  
"I know I was so busy. I didn't have a free moment."  
  
"So how was the internship at your uncle's law office?"  
  
"It was OK, but i don't see much of a future in law for Me." he laughed and wrapped his arm around her neck as they began to walk towards Dean's house." So what have you been up to?"  
  
Rory felt the guilt begin to sink in. She looked down at the ground hoping that Dean wouldn't notice. "Not to much. Just did a little reading." she told his pulling away a little and remembering the day before.  
  
//BEGIN Flashback//  
  
Rory and Jess sat quietly on the bridge their feet dangling over the lake. She was positioned comfortably in between his legs, both of them reading their books. "I'm done."  
  
"Me too."  
  
"Switch?" Rory held up her book and Jess handed her his. After a few minutes Rory let out a sigh.  
  
"What?"   
  
"Nothing. I just... this is nice." she smiled looking up at him. He leaned now slowly and kissed her.  
  
"Yeah it is." they kissed again. This went on for 5 more minutes before Rory pulled away.   
  
"I can't do this. What am i doing?" she asked herself out loud.  
  
"Rory you and Dean hardly ever see each other. He's been in Chicago for two weeks and he hasn't called you once."  
  
"That doesn't mean I have the right to cheat on him." she sighed and stood up.  
  
"Rory we've done a lot more then kissing." he said almost feeling uncomfortable; he was referring to the night they had spent together after Dean left for Chicago. They had gotten in a fight and Rory ran to him for comfort, like usual. "Why are you growing a conscience now?"  
  
"It just.... Jess I have something to tell you." she took his hand. "Dean is coming home tomorrow and that mean that we have to stop this."  
  
"God Rory! Do you like stringing me on like this!" he yelled. "I though i meant something to you. I though you liked me as much as I like you."  
  
"I do Jess, but... I love Dean."   
  
"Just forget it! Don't talk to me ever again!" He pushed past her and walked back towards town.  
  
"Jess.." she called, but he ignored her and kept walking.  
  
//END Flashback//  
  
"So did you miss me while I was gone?" Dean wondered taking her hand.  
  
Rory looked up nervously because they were passing Luke's diner. She could see Jess inside mopping the floor slowly. He looked up from the floor and out he door, as if he could sense Rory's presence. He smiled a bit, but then noticed her hand locked in Dean's and shook his head before getting back to mopping. Rory uncomfortably pulled her hand out of Dean's. "Umm I'll see you tomorrow OK?" she told him.  
  
"You're not going to walk me home?" he asked pretending to be hurt.  
  
"No I'm supposed to met my mom at Luke's in like 5 minutes." she lied. "Umm.. I free tomorrow."  
  
"I don't know. I should unpack." he told her.  
  
"Oook. Day after that?" she offered. "Wait I have a project due that next day. How about day after that?"  
  
"I'll probably have a lot of work to catch up on for school."  
  
"Yeah... probably." she shoved her hands in her pocket and looked pass Dean into the diner again.  
  
"I'll call you tomorrow or something." he told her.  
  
"Yeah." she agreed as he kissed her cheek and walked away. "Or something." She hesitated for a minute before entering the diner and making her way to the counter.  
  
"Coffee?" Luke questioned.  
  
She nodded "To go" she added as Luke walked away.  
  
"So did you and Dean have a wonderful, joyous reunion?" Jess' voice reeked of sarcasm.  
  
"Not really. It was kind of awkward" she sighed. "Jess, do you think we could talk?"  
  
"No." he replied flatly.  
  
"Fine." she took her coffee from Luke and dropped her money on the counter. Then left.  
  
After a few more days, things with Dean began to get better and back to normal, but Jess was still really mad at Rory. She didn't blame him, what she did was wrong and she could barely face Dean. Rory turned in her bed and looked over at her clock. "5:30 AM" she sighed and sat up, swinging her feet onto the floor. "NO one should get up this early." She felt tired and sick, and had major cramps. She trudged slowly towards that kitchen, then made a mad dash for the bathroom.  
  
"Rory sweetie are you OK?" Lorelai questioned, not able to think of any sarcastic remarks this early in the morning.  
  
"Yeah I'm fine. I think I'm getting sick." she told her, lifting her face out of the toilet bowl. Lorelai put her hand on Rory's forehead for a second.   
  
"No fever." she reported. "Go lay down on the couch."  
  
"In a sec." was all she could get out before sticking her head back into the toilet bowl.  
  
"Ewww."  
  
"Shut up." Rory grumbled weakly.  
  
//hour and a half later//  
  
Rory is feeling better and get up off the couch. "Mom I think I'm gonna go to school to day."  
  
"No you're not. You're sick."  
  
"I feel fine. I haven't made a run for the bathroom in an hour and a half." she told her. "There's no reason to miss school."  
  
"Fine." she agreed. "But you might want to think about brushing your teeth. Maybe popping a tic tac or two or ten."  
  
//That afternoon Chilton girl's bathroom//  
  
"Rory are you OK?" Paris asked as Rory exited the bathroom stall.   
  
"Sick." she replied calmly. " I have the worst cramps."  
  
"The time of the month huh?"  
  
"No actually. That was supposed to be last we......" she trailed off slowly. "Oh my god."  
  
"What?"  
  
"It's nothing." her voice trembled weakly. "I have to go." She ran out of the bathroom and walked quickly down the hallway, her hand over her stomach. Rory ran over a million possibilities in her head on the bus ride back to Star's Hollow. She searched of any reason to why her period had come, but their was only one reason she could think of. *This is not happening.* she thought to herself. * I can't be pregnant* Rory got off the bus to find Dean waiting for her.   
  
"Ror!" he waved excitedly.  
  
"Great just what I need." she put on a fake smiled. "Hey!" she yelled back.  
  
"How was school?"  
  
"It was OK." she looked down at the ground. "Look Dean I kind of need some alone time. Do you mind if I walk home alone."  
  
"NO that's fine."   
  
"Thanks. I'll see you later." She walked away from him towards town and into   
Dooser's market. * Who am i kidding? If I buy a pregnancy test here it will be around the whole town by midnight* she sighed and left the store, but not before buying a few chocolate bars. *I have to talk to Lane. *  
  
The bell above the door rang as Rory entered the antique store. "We closed." Lane's mother called from somewhere in the maze of furniture.  
  
"It just me. Rory." she replied. "I just came to see Lane." She didn't get an answer so she figured her mother was either ignoring her or had gotten crushed by a falling pill of antiques. Personally she was hoping for the second one. "Lane."  
  
'In here." the voice came for Lane's bedroom.  
  
"Hey. Long time no talk."  
  
"How's private school treating you these days."  
  
"Starting to get the catholic girl syndrome." she sighed sitting on Lane's bed.  
  
"What do you mean?" Lane asked putting down her homework.  
  
"I think that... well i kind of was supposed to get my.. you know... last week and I never did."  
  
'So what are you saying?" she pried.  
  
"I think I might be pregnant."  
  
"How is that possible if you've never even...." Rory looked down feeling embarrassed.  
  
"Oh my gosh. When did this happen?" Lane practically yelled. "You mean you and Dean.."  
  
"No." she replied feeling even more embarrassed. "It... If I am pregnant... Dean wouldn't be the father."  
  
"This just gets juicier as you go on."  
  
"Lane please." Rory sighed burying her head in the bed.  
  
"It's Jess' baby isn't it?"  
  
"I don't even know if I am yet."  
  
"but if you are...."  
  
"Then yes. It would be Jess' baby."  
  
"Wow." Lane pulled her into a hug.  
  
"i'm soo scared." she began to cry.   
  
"I know." she smoothed Rory's hair.   
  
"Will you come to Hartford with me?" she questioned out of now where. 'I need to know for sure Lane. Please come with me to get a test."  
  
"Why don't you just go to Dooser's."  
  
"Do you live in Star's Hollow?"  
  
"I see your point." she looked at Rory's tear stained face. "Clean yourself up and let's go."  
  
"Thank you." she hugged her again.  
  
//Later that day//  
  
"Do you want me to come with you when you do it?" Lane offered as they walked threw town after coming back from Hartford.  
  
"No I need to do it on my own." she told her looking down at the plastic bag in her hand. As they walked she stared down at the ground not watching where she was going. She ran into someone, dropping the bag and causing it contents to spill out.  
  
"What's this?" Jess asked bending down and picking up the test. "Rory.."  
  
"Give me that." she yelled defensively.  
  
"Wow I dont' know what to say." he said sounding concerned. "I had no idea you and Dean where that serious. Does he even know."  
  
"I'm sorry. I have to go." Rory whispered softly and ran away.  
  
"I don't know what to say. I didn't even know her and Dean were...."   
  
Lane looked up at him and gave him a solemn smiled. "They're not." she stated calmly.  
  
"I don't understand." he looked confused.  
  
"Maybe you should go talk to Rory, DAD." Lane shoved the test in is chest. 


	2. Egg timers

Chapter 2  
  
Rory got home and slammed the door closed behind her. She slowly slid to the ground, she pulled her knees to her chest and rested her hand on her knees. "Why so glum chum." Lorelai asked cheerfully as came from the kitchen. Rory looked up, the tears running down her face. "Oh sweetie. What happened?" her mood suddenly became serious.  
  
She was about to answer when a knock came at the door. Rory looked around nervously and realized that she had forgotten the test. If Lorelai opened the door and saw that test she would be dead. "Rory!" Jess banged. "Are you there?"  
  
"Oh great this is much better." She whispered and looked up at the celling."No."  
  
"I'll stand here all night."  
  
"I'm not much of a Jess fan, but you can't make him stand out there." Lorelai told her, moving Rory out of the way and reaching for the knob.  
  
"NO mom.." Rory yelled but it was to late, she pulled the door open and found Jess holding the test right in front of her face.   
  
"Oh shit." Jess hide the test behind his back, pray that by some miracle Lorelai hadn't seen.  
  
"Oh my God." Rory yelled in disbelief.  
  
"OH MY GOD!!" Lorelai replied, but much loader.  
  
// 15 minutes later//  
  
Jess and Rory are sitting on the couch and Lorelai is pacing back and forth in front of them. The egg timer is set and sitting on the coffee table.  
  
"How did this happen?" Lorelai shock her hand. "NO scratch that. I don't want to know." She put her hand on her head. "Are you sure about this... I mean it could be a mistake. You know just because you threw up doesn't mean you're...... pre....eee. gg.." She sighed and took a deep breath. "I can't even say it."  
  
"Pregnant" Jess finished.  
  
"Yes thank you, but shut up." She told him calmly. "Rory a little morning sickness doesn't mean anything."  
  
"I'm a week and a half late." Rory revealed. The room was silent no one knew what to say.   
  
"Time!" Lorelai finally asked.  
  
They all sat down side by side on the couch. Rory in between Jess and Lorelai. The egg timer was postioned in the center of the table. "2 minutes." Rory told her nervously.  
  
//1 minute later//  
  
"One minute" Jess announced to Lorelai who hadn't taken her eyes off the clock.   
  
"I can see that." She sighed and buried her head in her hands.  
  
//1 minute later//  
  
RING RING  
  
All three of them looked up from their hands, then at each other. All at once that jumped of the couch. "Stop" Rory yelled throwing out her hands and stopping them. "I'll go look." She told them putting on a brave face. Jess gave her hand a squeeze, which didn't go unnoticed by Lorelai.   
  
"Hurry up!" Lorelai order her impatiently, as Rory made her way to the bathroom. 


	3. Turn for the worst

Chapter 3  
  
"You are so dead if she's pregnant." Lorelai sighed and sat down on the couch next to him.  
  
"I know. Luke is going to hurt me."  
  
"I was talking about me." She glared.  
  
"ahem.. so umm pink minus sign it's negative and blue plus it's positive."  
  
"NO. No signs just colors." Lorelai correct. "Pink positive. Blue negative."  
  
"Got it." he let out a nervous breath.  
  
//Bathroom//  
Rory entered the bathroom and closed the door behind her. She didn't look down, because she was afraid of what was waiting for her. One glance at that stick would change her future forever. She stared at herself in the mirror for a second. "Just take a deep breath and do it." she told herself sucking in as much air as she could. She looked down at the test.  
  
//Living Room//  
  
Lorelai and Jess looked up as they heard the bathroom door open. Jess stood quickly and walk closer to the bathroom, Lorelai stayed seated. "Rory...." Jess trailed off.  
  
She looked down at her feet and burst into tears, before crashing into Jess' waiting arms. She buried her face in his shoulder and Lorelai grabbed the stick. "Pink." She whispered to herself.  
  
"What am I going to tell Dean?" Rory cried into Jess' shirt as she breathed in the comforting smell of his cologne.  
  
"Rory I will tell him. I don't want you to get all stressed out." Jess told her. "It's bad for the baby."  
  
"No You don't have to do that."  
  
"I'm going to take care of you Rory." he stated firmly, one hand on each of her shoulders as he stared into her eyes.  
  
"Huh where have I heard that before." Lorelai grumbled.  
  
"I'm sorry Mom." Rory sobbed as she walked towards her. Lorelai quickly stood and took Rory into her arms.   
  
"I know sweetie," she comforted her. "I hate to admit it but i agree with Jess. You shouldn't get upset. Let him talk to Dean for you."  
  
"Fine." She agreed reluctantly. "Jess, don't be mean and don't get into a fight."  
  
"That's that last thing you need."   
  
"And don't tell him she's pregnant. If he finds out the whole town will know by tomorrow." Lorelai added, as Jess grabbed his coat with a nod. "And Jess."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
" Sorry about the whole death threat thing." she smiled a little bit.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow." he told them before leaving.  
  
//Dean's house//  
  
"Is Dean home?" Jess asked a little girl who answered the door at Dean's house.  
  
"DEAN!! Someone's hear to see you." the girl yelled.  
  
"Is it Rory." his voice called from somewhere in the house.  
  
"Not unless Rory became a really cute guy." She answered as Dean appeared at the door.  
  
"What do you want?" Dean growled as the little girl walked away.  
  
"I need to talk to you." Jess replied trying to stay calm for ROR's sake.  
  
"About what?" he wondered suspiciously.  
  
"Just please come talk to me Dean," he sounded defeated.  
  
Dean closed the door behind him as he stepped onto the porch. "What's going on is Rory, OK?"  
  
"No. Well, yeah." he corrected himself. "She asked me to come talk to you."  
  
"Why you?"  
  
"Look there is no easy way to say this." Jess paused. "It over between you and Rory."  
  
"The hell it is!" Dean yelled. "Nice try city boy, but I'm not buying it."  
  
"Why would I make this up?"   
  
"I don't know. It's your idea of some sick joke."  
  
"Dean." He looked into his eyes. "I swear to God I'm not lying."  
  
Dean let those word sink in for a minute, he knew that Jess was telling the truth but he didn't want to believe it. "What did you do you her?"  
  
"Nothing."  
  
"Then why are you here! Why couldn't she tell me herself?"  
  
"I'm sorry." Jess sighed sincerely. "She was just to upset to talk to you."  
  
"So she sent her earned boy." Dean provoked. It took all his strength, but Jess turned and down the porch stairs. "Come back her you asshole." Dean yelled. "You stole her from me!"  
  
Jess stopped at the end of the sidewalk. "Rory's not an object. She can't be stolen, only her heart can ... and even that is by choice."  
  
//The Gilmore House//  
  
A few days later, after the shock had begun to fade, Rory and Lorelai stand curled up on the sofa talking. "I'm so scare Mom" Rory shook in her mother's arms.  
  
"I know how you feel sweetie." Lorelai rubbed her arm. "I know all to well."   
  
"What am I going to do with a baby." Rory sighed. "I mean how am I going to take care of a kid?"  
  
"I asked you father the exact something when I got pregnant with you."   
  
"Really? What did he say?"  
  
"Well, something really profound actually. If you could believe that," she laughed.  
  
"What did he say," she repeated.  
  
"He said Lorelai. I know you're scared and believe me I am too. It will be hard have a child and raising it on our own. Of course little did I know at that time that I would be raising you on my own." Lorelai interjected.  
  
"Mom."  
  
"Sorry." She continued. "He said don't think of it as having a kid... Thank of it as gaining a new best friends. Who will be there with you for the rest of your life no matter what happens." Rory sniffled but didn't say a word. Somehow that did make her feel a little better. Lorelai gazed off into space, as she remembered what it was like for her to be pregnant with Rory.   
  
"I need some coffee." Lorelai sighed then smiled. "Hey I just thought of something." Rory looked up at her. "NO COFFEE FOR YOU!"  
  
"NO!!" Rory yelled at that realization. "Say it isn't so."  
  
"It's your punishment." She laugh devilishly. "I'm going to Luke's. I'll bring you back so warm milk."  
  
"Oh joy." Rory sighed and flicked on the tv. Lorelai had been gone for 15 minutes before a knock came at the door. Rory stood slowly and trudged towards that door. Her stomach was beginning to hurt. "Forget your keys?" she asked as she pulled the door open, but was surprised to fine Dean. "What are you doing here?"  
  
"I need to talk to you Rory."  
  
"There's nothing to talk about." Rory said sternly closing the door, but Dean stopped her with his foot.  
  
"Listen to me! I need and explanation." Dean yelled. Rory was taken back by this, she had never heard him yell like that.   
  
The hormones took over and she burst into tears. "Don't yell at me." She sobbed her face in her hands.  
  
"Stop!" he ordered not knowing what to do. "Why are you crying like that?"  
  
"I don't know!!" she cried harder, then got an intense pain in her stomach. "Oh my God. What's wrong with me?" she shuffled to the couch, hold her stomach. "Owww." she cried again.  
  
"Are you OK? What's wrong? Are you sick?"   
  
"The hospital. I need to go to the hospital." She stated through painful breaths.   
  
"Ill take you." Dean offered gliding her to the car. Rory sat curled against the door, her head pressed against the window. She took Dean's cell phone off the dash board and dialed Luke's diner.   
  
"Please be there," she whispered. "Luke? Is my Mom there? Thanks." She waited for a minute. "Mom. I'm on my way to the hospital." She paused. "Dean.... I know." she cried. "I don't know Mom. Something's wrong. Something's really wrong," she took a minute to compose herself. "Meet me at the hospital.... I love you too."  
  
Dean and Rory rushed into the emergency room and they took Rory right away. Dean took a seat and watched wheel of fortune which on the TV which was hang on the wall. "Excuse me sir," the nurse approached Dean.  
  
"Yes,." He looked up at her.  
  
"Are you the father?" she questioned.  
  
"Oh no I'm with Lorelai Gilmore." he corrected and the nurse double checked her forms.   
  
"This is Lorelai's chart." She smiled. "Are you the father?"  
  
"What?" he asked still kind of confused.  
  
"Are you that father?" she repeated as Lorelai, Luke and Jess came running in, just catching what she said.   
  
"This is bad isn't it." Lorelai whispered as Dean stared at the nurse in amazement.   
  
"Excuse me." Lorelai interrupted. "I'm Rory's mother. I mean Lorelai's mother. How is she?"  
  
"She pregnant!" Dean stated.  
  
"Duh!" Luke interjected.  
  
"The doctor's haven't check her yet," she replied. "Is this the father?" she questioned again, pointing to Dean.  
  
"No, I'm am." Jess stepped forward.  
  
"Come with me" the nurse put her hand on his shoulder to guide him. "She wants to see you." Jess hurried pass Lorelai avoiding Dean's death stare.  
  
Jess rushed to Rory's side, she looked so small and scared laying in the hospital bed. "Rory." he breathed taking her hand in his. "Are you ok?" he asked kissing her forehead.  
  
"I don't know Jess. I hurt so much." she cried. "What's wrong? What's happening to our baby?" Jess' heart broken as the words poured from her mouth. * our baby* he repeated in his head over and over again.  
  
"It's OK." he whispered kissing her head. "everything's going to be OK." he hope out loud.  
  
"Promise?" she asked squeezing his hands.   
  
Jess looked away not knowing what to say. He began to cry . 


	4. Dean and Steve0

Sorry it took so long. I was on vacation for my birthday. Thank you to everyone for all the great comments! I'm soo happy you like my story so far.  
  
Baby, Baby  
  
Chapter 4  
  
"What the hell is going on here?"  
  
"Shhh! Dean lower your voice!" Lorelai hissed in a whisper as walked towards him.  
  
"Shh????" Dean repeated. "I'm sorry but I just found out that my girlfriend is having a baby with the guy I hate the most and you want me to shhhhh?"  
  
"Last I checked she wasn't your girlfriend anymore." She reminded him.  
  
"Yeah that's right she's not! She broke up with me because she cheated on me and got pregnant by a low life, trouble making, no good asshole with no future."   
  
"Hey you shut you mouth." Luke growled. "Don't say one more word." He warned.  
  
"ONE MORE WORD" Dean yelled. The next thing Lorelai knew Luke was out of his seat and half way across the room.  
  
"HEY HEY STOP" she stepped in between Dean and Luke. She held her hand firmly on Luke's chest holding him back. "He's 17."   
  
He sighed, looked down at the ground and backed away, but not before shoving Dean's shoulder. "Watch yourself."  
  
"Yeah OK." Dean scoffed and took a seat.   
  
***Rory and Jess****  
  
"Thank you Doctor." Rory smiled, her hair was a mess and the bright lights made her look pale as a ghost.  
  
"Just get a lot of rest. I want you on bed rest for at least a week." The doctor ordered and looked at Jess. "You're in charge of making sure she follows orders." He joked. "You should fine a doctor as soon as your bed rest is over. Don't get worked up other wise you might end up back here again."  
  
"But the baby's fine?" Jess wondered showing true concern.  
  
"The baby is fine. I think it was trying to warn Mom that she needs to relax a little." The doctor talked to them a while longer about the baby and the complication that Rory might face begin pregnant at her age. After the doctor was done talking to them, he asked to talk to Rory alone, so Jess left to wait in the lobby with Lorelai and Luke.  
  
"I'm sure Dean is gone by now." Jess whispered to himself as he walked into the waiting area and found him sitting on the same place he had left him. "No such luck." He rolled his eyes and walked towards them. Luke and Lorelai stood, preparing to hear the news.  
  
"Well," Lorelai asked impatiently. "Jess talk. Is she OK? How's Rory? How's the baby?"  
  
"Calm down." He almost ordered, she was making him nervous and he couldn't take it. "Rory ... and the baby are fine." Lorelai let out a sigh of relief.  
  
"Can we see her?"   
  
"The doctor is talking to her right now." He told them and began to pace back and forth.  
  
"Sit down!" Lorelai yelled. "Your making me nervous." The only empty seat was next Dean.   
  
"No thanks I'd rather stand." Jess growled eyeing Dean.  
  
"What wrong to guilty to sit next to me?" Dean wondered.  
  
"Why would I feel guilty! You didn't even care about Rory."  
  
"How dare you say that. I love Rory." Dean yelled stand up to make his point. "If there is anyone that does care about her it's you. You used her! "  
  
Jess lunged at Dean, but once again Lorelai stopped the fight. "Luke help me! Why are you just sitting there?" Lorelai questioned.  
  
"If I can't beat him up at least let Jess do it!" Luke pleaded, but Lorelai shot him a look. "FINE." He sighed. He stood and grabbed Jess's arm pulling him back.  
  
"You know what I feel bad for this baby. Cause you are just going to end up a dead beat dad, just like your mother the drunk!" Dean told him spitefully.  
  
"Oh it's on now." Lorelai yelled still holding Dean back. "I got his arms Jess!! Get him!"  
  
"Lorelai!" Luke sounded surprised, trying to hold back laughter.  
  
"What? Come on Jess. He's all yours."   
  
Jess pulled his arms from Luke's grip and walked towards Dean. He clenched his fist and took a deep breath before releasing it. "You're right." He whispered. "I don't want to end up like my mother.... I'm not going to hit you Dean. That's exactly what you want isn't it?" he questioned. His voice was shaky with hurt and anger, Lorelai could tell he was trying his best not to hit him. "I don't need to prove anything to you. I care about Rory and my baby and I am not going to do anything to hurt them." He turned and walked back towards Luke as Lorelai release her grip.  
  
Dean was speechless. "Whatever." he retorted before storming out of the hospital.  
  
"Wow..." Luke smiled putting his hand on Jess's shoulder. "That was really.. intense."  
  
"I'm proud of you Jess." Lorelai put her hand on Jess's other shoulder. "Don't you feel better about yourself now?"  
  
"No I wanted to kick his ass." Jess smacked his fist into his palm.  
  
  
It's 12:00 noon the next day. Rory, Jess, Lorelai and Luke are driving back to Stars Hollow. Jess had his arm wrapped around her and she was resting her head on his shoulder. Lorelai's arm was reaching into the back, her hand on Rory's arm, comforting her. "Rory sweetie. Calm down." Rory wiped her tears and put her hand on her stomach.   
  
She laughed a little. "I have no idea why I'm crying."  
  
"It the hormones babe. You better watch out Jess."  
  
"Why's that?"  
  
"Pregnancy hormones, mixed with the hormones of a teenage girl. It's gonna be mood swings r us."  
  
"I can handle it." he told her with confidence.  
  
"Talk to me in a week." She replied "I'll be impressed if you last that long."   
  
"So how did Dean take the news?" Rory questioned.  
  
"Oh he was so excited. He's gonna come baby shopping with us and help plan a cute little baby shower with chocolates shaped like baby bottles and everything." Lorelai smiled back at her.  
  
"That bad huh?"  
  
"Worst." Her mother replied. "But hey I got to break up a fight! Two fights even! I felt like Steve from the Jerry Springer show. Wanna touch my head?"   
  
"I thought I heard yelling." Rory let out a little laugh. "So who won?"   
  
"Actually there weren't really any fights, just lunging and charging mostly. It was great though! I had Dean's arms pinned and Jess had a clean shot, but the he didn't take it!"  
  
"What I though you were stopping the fights not in them."  
  
"Well, was until Dean called Jess's mom a drunk and said he was going to end up just like her."  
  
"Dean said that!" Rory looked up at Jess who was staring out the window. "How bad did you hurt him?"  
  
"I didn't."   
  
"What?"  
  
"I didn't hit him OK." Jess felt like a jerk admitting it to Rory.  
  
"He gave this great haa I'm better then you so I'm not gonna hit you speeches You should have seen the look on Dean's face! It was priceless." Lorelai told her with excitement.  
  
"I wish I could have seen it."   
  
"Hey there's always security cameras. I'll see what I can do." Luke pulled up to the Gilmore house and Lorelai climb out them, help Rory down. "We'll see you tomorrow boys." Lorelai told them, they would have a lot to discuss. Tomorrow was Friday and Rory would have to tell her grandparents about the baby. 


	5. Food,Food and more food

Chapter 5  
  
"Good morning sunshine." Lorelai smiled, taking a seat on her daughter's bed. Rory was entangled in the blankets, the sheet pulled over her head.   
  
"Go away," Rory mumbled from under the covers.   
  
"Do you want anything to eat for breakfast?"  
  
She peeked out from under the blanket. "Are you cooking?" she asked nervously.  
  
"Sorry to disappoint you, but no. I was going to have Jess bring some food over since you're trapped in bed all day. I don't want to make it any worse by making you food."  
  
"That's very thoughtful of you." Rory smiled then pulled the blanket back over her head. "I'm tired."   
  
"I know." Lorelai laughed then pulled the blanket down. "What do you want?"  
  
"Ummm, can I have scrambled eggs?" she asked.   
  
"Of course," she replied and got up to call.  
  
"Oh, and pancakes with syrup and blueberries. Can you ask him to make chocolate chip pancakes too?" Rory added quickly.  
  
"You got it." she headed for the door again.  
  
"Does Luke make Belgian waffles?"   
  
"Don't know...but he makes regular ones."  
  
"I guess that's fine. I'll have two orders," she told Lorelai, who laughed.  
  
"Jeez, the cravings are kicking in already." Lorelai came back 10 minutes later phone in hand. "Your feast will arrive shortly."  
  
"Good, I'm starving."  
  
"Okay, I've been avoiding this all morning."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Since you're on bed rest I decided to ask your grandparents to our humble home for dinner," Lorelai told her, looking at the phone.  
  
"Do I have to tell them?" Rory questioned nervously.  
  
"No, of course not. Just wear really big sweat shirts when ever you see them and I'll tell them that you've been eating like a pig," Lorelai joked. "I'm sure they will believe it to because you'll be shoveling in the Friday night dinner so fast there won't be any left for anyone else."  
  
"Ha ha, very funny." Rory rolled her eyes.   
  
"Sorry kid, but they gotta know," Lorelai smiled, rubbing her shoulder. "But look at the bright side, after you tell them, they won't talk to you for at least a week so maybe we won't have to have dinner with them next Friday."  
  
"Under each cloud there's a silver lining," Rory joked. "I think you should tell them though. I mean I can't get stressed out remember."  
  
"You know what, some times I don't like you." Lorelai snapped her fingers. Rory was right it could be bad for the baby.   
  
"Yeah, and besides how could you have them here anyway? As pointed out in out previous conversation... you don't cook."  
  
"Damn, another good point. You're on a roll today sister." She clicked the phone on. "I'll just tell her we can't come to dinner tonight. She'll understand, right?"  
  
"Hello. Gilmore resisdence," the cheery voice of one of the maids answered.  
  
"Wow. I wish you were my mother," Lorelai replied.  
  
"Excuse me?" the women asked, confused.  
  
"Oh, sorry. Is Emily home? Tell her it's Lorelai." She waited a minute for the maid to find her mother.  
  
"Lorelai?" Emily sounded surprised that she was calling.  
  
"Yeah. Mom. Hey," she stuttered. "Rory is ummm... sick?"  
  
"Was that a question or a statement?"  
  
"Statement," Lorelai replied. "So I was just calling to say that... well, is it okay if we don't come tonight?"  
  
"Absolutely not." Emily said sternly. "Tell Rory to take some aspirin or whatever you give a sick child. She'll be fine by tonight."  
  
"Um, I doubt that."  
  
"I don't care. Your father has invited a Harvard graduate to dinner. He wants Rory to meet him. He is a very important person at the college and he has a lot of influence on who does and doesn't get in. This is very important for Rory's future, Lorelai, and we expect you to be there. Don't embarrass us."  
  
"Mom, I don't know if this is a good time. I mean, Rory really can't be leaving the house."  
  
"I'm not going to have Rory miss this oppurtunity just because she's has a little bug. I'll see you tonight. Goodbye." Emily hung up the phone before Lorelai could protest.  
  
"I hate when she does that!" she clicked the phone off.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"Well, your wonderful grandparents have a Harvard graduate coming to dinner and you must be there," Lorelai sighed copying Emily's voice.  
  
"Whats the point? I'm not going to Harvard anymore, Mom."  
  
"What? Sure you are."   
  
"Umm, hello." she pointed to her stomach. "Even if I do graduate high school we'll have to use all of our money on the baby."  
  
"I'm sure your grandparents will help with your college stuff."  
  
"Fine, but what happens when I'm in college? My grades will be horrible anyway because I'll be spending all my time taking care of the baby. I'll have no time to study."  
  
"Jess can help you, Rory. You'll work something out."  
  
"That's another thing. You don't think that Jess is going to move to Boston, do you? I can't expect him to go there just for me. I'm going to a school close to home where we can be with you and Jess and Luke."  
  
"Rory, forget Jess, this is your future your talking about here," Lorelai tried not to yell.  
  
"No, Mom. Jess is my future. The baby is my future. I have to plan my life around them. Not the other way around." Rory was beginning to get upset.  
  
"Everything is so wrong now," Lorelai sighed. She stared at her lap for a minute then looked up. "Oh God, I'm my mother."  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'm trying to control your life. I'm telling what to do," she told her only half serious. "You have to help me. Don't let me turn into her."  
  
"Mom, believe me when I say you are nothing like grandma."  
  
"Oh,thank God." Lorelai put her hand on her chest.   
  
"RING, RING," the doorbell sounded  
  
"Oh, food. Finally." Rory sat up with excitment as her mom left to get the door. A few minutes later Jess came into her room.   
  
"Hey. How are you feeling?"  
  
"Hi.Tired," she replied. "I have to go to my grandparents tonight for dinner."  
  
"Are you going to tell them?" Jess wondered taking a seat on her bed.  
  
"I don't know. They have this big important Harvard guy coming," Rory sighed.  
  
"Why do you look so sad? That's a good thing right?"  
  
"It doesn't matter. It's not like I'm going there."  
  
"Going where? To your grandparents?"  
  
"No, Harvard."  
  
"What are you talking about? Of course you're going." Jess told her. "Don't think for one minute that you're not going to get in."  
  
"It's not that, Jess. I just don't think I'm gonna go to college, with the baby and everything." She looked down and pretended to study her hands.  
  
"Rory, you are not only going to college, but you're going to Harvard." Jess demanded.  
  
"Think about this, Jess. Even if I do get in, I'm pretty sure the Harvard dorms frown upon screaming infants. I'll have to get my own apartment, find time to somehow study, go to class and get a job. I can't do it. I'm only one person."  
  
"Yeah, you are, but that's what I'm here for." she could see the sincerity in Jess's eyes. "You aren't alone in this Rory."  
  
"I can't ask you to move to Boston."  
  
"You aren't asking me. I'm telling you that's what iIm going to do. From now on I'm going to work really hard in school, I'll get a tutor and bring my grades up. I'll get into Boston college and we'll get an apartment together. It won't be big or nice or anything, but it will be ours."  
  
"Jess, are you sure you want this? Just because we're going to have a baby doesn't mean you have to be with me. I don't want to be with you unless I know that you are there because you love me and not because you're supposed to be."  
  
"Rory, I know that this is going to sound really weird coming from me because you were with Dean and I never got a chance to tell you how I feel." He laughed at himself. "This is so corny but I'll say it anyway. I really care about you. When I came to this stupid town you were the only good thing that I could find, the only reason to stay here. I had a chance to leave this place and go home, but I stayed because of you." He looked down trying to fight the urge to kiss her.  
  
Rory smiled shyly. "Really?" she questioned as a tear rolled down her cheek. "Must be those hormones," she joked and wiped her tear away. She grinned again and took his hand. "Thank you for telling me that."  
  
Jess couldn't resist the tempation anymore, he leaned over and kissed her lips softly then pulled away. "You're welcome."  
  
"Hey, food's ready in the living room" Lorelai called from the kitchen. "I made the couch nice and comfy for you Ror."  
  
"I should get back to the diner. Luke must be freaking out that I was gone this long." He stood and helped Rory out of bed. "Call me if you need me."  
  
"I will." She smiled then leaned up and kissed him again. "I like doing that."  
  
"Yeah, it's not bad." he smirked, recieving a whack from Rory. "I'll see you later." He left her room as she made her way out and found her mom waiting in the kitchen, arms crossed.  
  
"Don't get your hopes up, kid." Lorelai spoke sternly.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"I heard what he said. That he cares about you and he'll always be there for you." Lorelai shook her head. "Christopher said the exact same thing."  
  
"Jess isn't Dad." Rory told her softly before walking into the living room, feeling angry. Her mom was right and she hated to admit it. She knew that she shouldn't get her hopes up, but she couldn't help it. There was something about the look in Jess's eyes that told her he was going to do his best to keep his promises. She believed that he would be there for her.  
  
( Chapter 6: Rory and Lorelai go to Friday night dinner at the Gilmore house and things go horribly wrong.) 


	6. Telling the Gilmores

Chapter 6  
  
"Come on kiddo," Lorelai ordered as they climbed out of the car and walked up to the elder Gilmore residence.  
  
"I'm going to Harvard."   
  
"I though you decided not to go. You had a mile long list of reasons not to go. What happened?"  
  
"I talked to Jess and we decided that he would go to Boston College. That way we would be close and he could help with the baby."  
  
"He thinks he's getting into Boston College?" Lorelai questioned. "Are you sure about him, Rory?"  
  
"I'm positive, Mom." Rory smiled. "I really think this is going to work out."  
  
Before Lorelai had a chance to reply the door opened. "Hello, I'm Lorelai, and I'm selling subscriptions to Stuffy Old People Magazine. Would you be interested?"  
  
"Lorelai. Rory. You're late," she sighed, ignoring Lorelai's joke.  
  
"How late this time? One minute or did we get really bad come.. dare I say it." She looked at Rory then leaned in to Emily and whispered, "...two minutes late." She clasped her hand over her mouth.  
  
"Is that supposed to be funny, Lorelai?" Emily questioned. "Never mind. Come with me. Rory, you look pale, did you do your hair before you came?" Rory touched her hair nervously. "Oh, it's too late now. Come on, I have someone I want you to meet." Rory followed close behind Emily. They entered the study to find Richard and a tall, fairly young man with short brown hair sitting on the leather couch. "Donald, this is our granddaughter Rory," she introduced. "Rory, this is Mr. Donald Roberts. He graduated from Harvard 15 years ago. He was in the top 10 of his class."  
  
"Wow. That's amazing." Rory smiled and extended her hand. "It's very nice to meet you."  
  
"And you." He grinned.  
  
"Well, I guess I have to introduce myself... Don is it?" Lorelai held out her hand. "Lorelai Gilmore. Rory is my daughter."  
  
"Really. You look more like sisters."  
  
"We get that a lot." She replied. "A few face lifts and a boob job and here I am. I'm actually 55. Remarkable, isn't it?"  
  
"Lorelai, please," Emily hissed. "I'll have to apologize for my daughter's behavior. I have no idea where she got such a distasteful sense of humor."  
  
"It's a wonder I even have a sense of humor to begin with." Lorelai added with a smile.  
  
Donald cleared his throat and loosened his tie a bit. "So, Rory. I hear you're looking to go to Harvard for college next fall."  
  
"It been my dream since I was a little girl," Rory replied politely.  
  
"Ah, very good. Well, I have quite a lot of influence at Harvard and I'm sure I'll be able to help you out. Of course, from what your grandfather told me you won't even need my help. You're a very bright girl Rory. You've got a real future." Rory put on a fake smile and stared down at her stomach.  
  
"So, when do we eat?" Lorelai tried to take the attention away from Rory who looked a little upset.  
  
"Let's all go to the dinning room and take our seats. We can continue the discussion in there," Richard told them.   
  
BEEP BEEP  
"Oh, that's my pager. Can I use your phone?" Donald asked.  
  
"Of course. There's one on my desk. We'll meet you in the dinning room so you can have your privacy."  
  
Lorelai, Rory, Richard, and Emily took their usual seats at the dinner table. After a few minutes of silence Donald came back in. "I'm so sorry. This is very rude of me, but I just got a page from my mother ... my uncle just got rushed to the hospital. I'm going to have to come to dinner at another time."  
  
"Oh, we understand Donald." Richard stood from his chair and walked over to shake his hand. "Best of luck to your uncle."  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Yes, we'll reschedule." Emily smiled gracefully also standing from her chair. "We'll walk you out."   
  
"That would be fine. Lorelai, Rory, it was very nice meeting you both." Donald waved as Emily and Richard escorted him to the front door.  
  
"It's fate. You gotta tell them now," Lorelai told her after she was sure her parents were far enough away.  
  
"What? No way. I'm not prepared for this." Rory shook her head. "I haven't even had time to worry and contemplate."  
  
"Rory, it's better to get it over with. Besides I really don't want to go to dinner next Friday."  
  
"Forget it Mom, I'm not telling them yet," Rory told her sternly  
  
"Telling us what?" Emily questioned reentering the dinning room and taking her seat. "Richard, come here, Rory has something to tell us." Richard entered the dinning room and took his seat.  
  
"What's the good news, Rory?"  
  
"No good news. No news at all. I have nothing to say." Rory sighed.  
  
"Yes, she does. Her and Lorelai were just discussing it. Now come on now, Rory, tell us," Emily insisted. Rory shot her mother a death stare. "Come on. We are going to find out even if we have to keep you here all night."  
  
"Mom." Rory's eyes pleaded.  
  
"Rory's.... well remember how I said Rory is sick?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Yes. I remember."   
  
"Well, she sick because...." she looked over at her daughter. "Because Rory is dying."  
  
"What?" Richard asked concerned. "What's wrong?"  
  
"Oh please, Richard. It's just another one of her sick jokes. What is going on Rory?" Emily pushed, she would not be fooled for a minute. "Speak. Tell us!"  
  
"I need to get out of here," Rory whispered pushing back her chair, tears were forming in her eyes.  
  
"Don't you leave this room, young lady," Emily yelled. "Sit back down in that chair."  
  
"No."  
  
"Excuse me. You sound like your mother. No, sit down."  
  
"Hey!" Lorelai yelled. "Leave her alone, can't you see she's upset?"  
  
"Of course I can and I'm trying to find out why but no one will tell me!"   
  
"God, If you want to know so bad, then fine you asked for it! I'm pregnant okay!" Rory sobbed and ran out of the room.  
  
"I knew this was going to happen," Emily sighed to Richard, her head in her hands. "She's too much like her mother."  
  
"Well, I'm sorry that we're such a disappointment to you." Lorelai slammed her napkin on the table and pushed her chair back. "Excuse me while I go comfort my daughter, because I'm sure I'm the only one in this house who will. "  
  
**Upstairs**  
  
"Hey sweetie." Lorelai knocked on the open door.  
  
"Are they totally freaking out?" Rory sat at the edge of her mom's old bed.  
  
"Oh, yeah. Emily downing her 10th drink by now and your grandfather is studying the pattern on the table runner."   
  
"So they're taking it better them we expected."  
  
"Yeah. So far they haven't made one suicide attempt so I'd say we're doing good," Lorelai joked. "But don't get your hopes up. They just might be in shook still. You might want to lock all the windows on the second floor."  
  
"Very funny." Rory sighed and rested her head on Lorelai's lap.  
  
"Oh, don't worry sweetie." She brushed her hair back. "I told you they're gonna be mad for a week at the least."  
  
Before she had a chance to say anything else they were interrupted by another knock at the door. "We need to have a discussion. Come downstairs," Emily told them before turning and walking back downstairs.  
  
"Can't we just leave without telling them?"  
  
"No, they'll catch us."  
  
"Then we'll tie some sheets together and climb down the balcony."  
  
"Been there, done that. Bad idea ... unless you want a broken leg," Lorelai told her with a smile. Rory tilted her head as is she was considering the idea. "Come on, there's no avoiding them." Lorelai sighed and the two girls headed downstairs.  
  
"Sit down," Emily ordered as they entered the study. "What about Harvard?"  
  
"God, is that all you care about?" Lorelai questioned. "Some stupid school."  
  
"It's not stupid, Lorelai. This is her future we're talking about here," Richard interrupted.  
  
"Don't you even care about how I feel about all of this?" Rory asked.  
  
"Of course we do, Rory," Richard sighed. "Your boyfriend, Dean, have you told him yet?"  
  
"Yes, he knows all about it. We broke up yesterday and he hates me."  
  
"He broke up with you. That low life. What kind of boy leaves the girl he got pregnant?"  
  
"Christopher." Lorelai interjected.  
  
"Leave him out of this, Lorelai. I don't want to get into it," Emily warned. "Richard, you better call that boy and tell him that he better take responsibility for this baby."  
  
"Leave Dean alone," Rory ordered. "He's not the father."  
  
"What are you talking about? He was your boyfriend up until yesterday. Who else's baby would it be?"  
  
"God, does she need to go into detail about everything?" Lorelai asked. "She cheated on Dean with someone else and got pregnant. It doesn't take a genius to figure that out."  
  
"Rory. I'm surprised at you," Richard sighed. "I never pictured you as the type to cheat on anyone."  
  
Rory looked down at her lap. "Who is the father?" Emily demanded.  
  
"His name is Jess."   
  
"Jess," Emily repeated.   
  
"He's Luke's nephew. You remember Luke's Diner, right?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"That troublemaker that you told me about?" Emily questioned. "Lorelai, how could you let this happen?"  
  
"Well, I'm sorry, Mom, but I don't control who my daughter is friends with. It's her life."  
  
"And that is exactly why she ended up like this. You were too easy on her, Lorelai."   
  
"Oh please. At least I wasn't a controlling mother who had to plan out my daughter's entire life for her." Lorelai yelled.   
  
"What is that supposed to mean?"   
  
"STOP IT! Everybody stop fighting." Rory stood up. "Grandma, don't take out your anger on Mom, and Mom, just back off for now."  
  
RING RING  
  
"That's Jess. I asked him to come and get me when I was upstairs before. I can't stay here anymore," Rory told them as she headed for the door. She found Jess waiting for her, Luke's truck sat in the circular driveway. "Thank you so much for coming to get me."  
  
"I drove as fast as I could," Jess told her as she ran towards him. He wrapped his arms around her waist and she threw her arms over his shoulders. She squeezed him tightly, just being in his arms made her feel much better. "Everything's gonna be okay."  
  
"I wish." She pulled away and took his hand. "Come on, let's go home."  
  
"No, wait," Jess stopped her. "I want to go in."  
  
"You're kidding, right?" Rory asked.  
  
"No, I want to meet your grandparents. Maybe if they meet me.... I don't know. I just think I should meet them."  
  
"I don't think that's such a good idea."  
  
"Come on. How bad can they be?"   
jess 


	7. How Dare You

Chapter 7  
Title: Baby Baby  
  
A/N: For those of you who were wondering I haven't decided the sex of the baby yet. I'll have to start thinking about it, but I have a few more problems and situation planned before I get to that. Unless Rory and Jess decided to find out the birth of the baby before it's born, but I haven't decided that either. What do you think should they wait or find out the sew? Thanks for all the wonderful comment, they are great motivation.  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own anything the has to do with the Gilmore girls or WB.   
  
Chapter 7  
  
"Jess, believe me you don't want to meet my grandparents." Rory laughed nervously and tugged on his arm. "Come on lets leave." Rory let go and began to walk towards the car. "Unlock the doors." She told him. "Jess??" she turned and Jess wasn't there. The front door was open, he must have gone in. "Oh great." she ran inside and found him about to walk into the study. "Jess!" she whispered.  
  
"I told you I want to meet them."  
  
"And I told you that's not a good idea." Rory replied.  
  
"I have to meet them sometime." He told her. "Now is as good a time as any."  
  
"You're stubborn."'  
  
"You're scared." He retorted. "You're afraid that your grandparents won't approve of me."  
  
"That is so not true." She sighed. "They already don't approve of you."  
  
"Oh." He thought for a minute. "Then why do you care if I meet them or not."  
  
"Fine Jess. If you want to meet them go ahead they're right in there." She gave in, throwing her hands in the air. "Can I ask you a question first?"  
  
"What is it?" he asked.  
  
"What kind of flowers to do want for your funeral?" Jess didn't have a chance to say anything, Rory took his hand and lead him into the room. Lorelai was still sitting on the couch, being lectured by Emily and Richard.   
  
"OH Just wonderful." Emily sighed when she notice Rory and Jess, she was still worked up.  
  
Jess stepped forward, Rory followed hiding behind him. He extended his hand. "Mr. and Mrs. Gilmore. I'm......"   
  
"We know who you are young man." Richard stated sternly staring down at Jess' hand, then looking up at him. Jess pulled his hand away slowly, he wouldn't be getting a hand shake from this guy.   
  
"You are the boy who ruined my granddaughter's future." Emily growled.  
  
"Umm.." Jess' mind went blank. "I like roses." He whispered to Rory.  
  
"Well, come on what do you have to say for yourself? Speak up." Richard told him.  
  
"I'm... sorry." He stuttered.  
  
"What?" Lorelai blurted out. "I'm sorry but can you say that one more time. This is a miracle. Jess actually apologized?" she question excitedly, then clapped her hands together. "Make him do it again."  
  
"Mom." Rory hissed.  
  
"Sorry." She covered her mouth.  
  
Jess finally got the strength to talk. "Look I don't know what else to say to you except that I care about Rory and I'm going to be there for her and the baby."   
  
"OH yeah right. Where have we heard that before." Richard snorted referring to Christopher. "Christopher was a great, up standing kid and even he couldn't stick it out. I highly doubt you will."  
  
"You don't even know me." Jess retorted. "You have no right to say what I will and will not do." Rory could tell that her grandparents were offended by the way he was talking to them, but Jess never was one to be stepped all over. "I don't know Rory's dad, but I can tell you that unlike him I'm going be around for my kid."  
  
"How dare you talk to us like that." Emily yelled.  
  
"Just who the hell are YOU anyway lady." Jess replied. "Just because you have money doesn't give you the right to treat people like you are better then them. I may not be the richest person or come from the best family and yeah, I'll admit it, I made a lot of mistakes. But if there is one thing in my life that I'm going to do right it's going to be making sure that Rory is happy." Jess paused and lowered his voice. "You may not like the fact the Rory is pregnant, but she is and there is nothing you can do to change that. I know you're only trying to look out for her, but the best thing that you can do for Rory right now is to support her. The last thing she needs is for you to yell at her and tell her how disappointed you are in her."  
  
"It is none of your business how we handle this situation." Richard state calmly. "Rory needs to understand what she has done to her life."  
  
"Actually it is my business. Rory was in the hospital last night!" he revealed. Emily and Richard looked over at Lorelai who nodded her head in confirmation. "She almost lost our baby because of all the stress that she was under. Right now she should be at home in her bed resting, but instead she's here listening to going on and on. She's supposed to be home in bed right now, but she came here for you! Because she knows how much you want her to go to Harvard." Richard and Emily looked down at the ground, Jess was beginning to get to them. "I'm not going to let you put my baby in danger anymore. Come on Rory." He took her trembling hand. "Lorelai I'll bring her home soon."  
  
"Young man." Emily called as he began to walk out. "YOUNG MAN." she repeated and he didn't reply. "JESS!" she finally called. He stopped and turned. "We were harsh on you and especially on Rory. I don't want to be the reason that something happens to ... to..."  
  
"the baby." Lorelai finished for her.  
  
"Yes." Emily cringed. "So I would like to apologize for what I've said tonight, although I don't believe this is right, I do love you Rory and I don't want to see anything else happen to you."  
  
"Thank you grandma." Rory stuttered with surprise.  
  
"Richard?" Emily looked over at him. "Don't you have something to say?"  
  
"Well, I guess I'm sorry also." He told them reluctantly, he paused and sighed. "I'm just scared for you."  
  
"Me and Jess are scared enough for everyone." Rory told them. Jess gave her hand a squeeze.  
  
"Well, then." Emily brushed a piece of her hair back. "You should get home."  
  
"That a super idea." Lorelai smiled trying to lighten the mood unsuccessfully. "Tuff crowd."   
  
"Mom is it OK if I go with Jess?" Rory asked. "We want to spend some time together." Lorelai looked unsure, Rory should be resting. "We'll bring you coffee."  
  
"OK that's fine." She replied immediately. Rory and Jess said good bye and left. Lorelai stood and walked over to Emily and Richard. "I'm very proud of you two ... for once."   
  
**Star's Hollow**  
  
Rory and Jess walked through the center of Stars Hollow. They had gone to Luke's and got 2 freshly made donuts for the walk and the coffee Rory had promised to bring Lorelai. Rory's had her hand in Jess' again as they walked towards the gazebo. "Want to sit?" Jess asked as they finished their snack.  
  
"Yeah but i could use a hug first." She told him. He smiled, wrapping his arms around her and squeezing tight.   
  
"Are you OK?"  
  
"Just a little upset." She replied, her arms were still wrapped around him. "I'll be OK."  
  
"Well, I know one thing for sure." Jess told her as they pulled apart and sat down.  
  
"What's that?" she questioned.  
  
"From now on. I'm going to listen to everything you say, at least when it come to your grandparents."  
  
"Actually, I think they kind of like you."   
  
"Like me? I'd hate to see how they treat someone they hate." He laughed.  
  
"Do you want to know the best part about this night?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Watching the expression on their faces when you were yelling at them." Rory giggled. "I bet that you are the first person to ever really stand up to them like that. I have to admit, my Mom puts up a good fight, but you win hands down."  
  
"Do I get a prize?" he asked   
  
"What would you like?"  
  
He smirked and she could see the devilish look in his eyes. He leaned over slowly and gave her short, soft kiss. "How about something like that?"  
  
"It's better then buying you something." She smiled and kiss his again.   
  
"Cheap." he laughed. Rory shrugged her shoulders and giggled again.  
  
"I love spending time with you." That came out of no where, it caught Rory off guard.   
  
Rory smiled. "I like spending time with me too."  
  
"Oh your a funny one." He laughed with her." I think we've had enough fun for one night. We should get you home."  
  
"That's probably a good idea."  
  
** Walking**  
  
"My mom made a doctors appointment for me tomorrow. Are you gonna come?"  
  
"What time?" he asked. They were almost at Rory's house  
  
"3:00 I think. I told her to schedule it after school so you could come if you wanted."  
  
"Yeah I'll come." he accepted  
  
"Great. I'll see you then." She smiled as they approached her front door.  
  
"Yup." He kissed her cheek and waited for her to get the door open. "Night."  
  
"Night." She grinned as she closed the door behind her. 


	8. Becka

Chapter 8  
  
Rory and Jess went to the doctors that afternoon. He didn't really do anything, he just talked to her for a while and asked a bunch of questioned. They were all basically the same as the questions that the doctor at the hospital asked. Rory was told to schedule an appointment the next week and they would check up on how the baby was doing. Now they are eating at Luke's diner. "So that was kind of a waste of time." Jess sighed  
  
"Yeah but I can't wait until we actually get to see the baby on that monitor." Rory beamed and Jess smiled at her excitement.  
  
"I have a surprise for you." He told her. "Well, actually two."  
  
"Tell me. Tell me." she took a sip of drink.  
  
"OK, here's the first one." he reached into her backpack. He pulled out a piece of paper and placed it on the table. "I got an 80 on my math test today." He smiled. "I studied really hard after our talk yesterday about college and Boston." He told her. "I mean It's no A+ or anything. I'm sure you would do a lot better, but at least it's not an F"  
  
"NO Jess this is amazing." She grinned taking the paper. "I'm so proud of you.  
  
"Ok now for the second surprise." He shifted in his seat a little. "I went to the principles office today.."  
  
"Is that supposed to be surprising?" Rory joked  
  
"Haha.. let me finish......"  
  
"Sorry go on." she giggle one last time.  
  
"I had them get me a tutor so that I could bring that B up to and A."  
  
"Wow you're really serious about this aren't you." Rory smiled with satisfaction.  
  
"Course I am. I told you I was going to do it, so am."  
  
"When do you start the tutoring?"  
  
"Today at 4:30. I had the tutor push back the time so that I could go to the doctor's with you. I told her that I had to do some work for Luke. Surprisingly, Dean hasn't told anyone yet so I don't think anyone in Star Hollow high knows."  
  
"They'll find out eventually. It's almost 4:30 now. Shouldn't you be leaving?"  
  
"No, we're meeting here and we're gonna work in Luke's apartment." The bell above Luke's door rang and a pretty girl with long blonde hair walked in. She wore tight black pants and a black belly shirt that read "Flirt" in hot pink.  
  
"Jess." The girl's bubbly voice called as she walked towards them, resting her hand on his shoulder. "Are you ready to start?"  
  
"Hey Becka." He looked up at the girl and smiled. "Yeah I'm ready. You know Rory right?"  
  
"Of course who doesn't." She scoffed then turned her attention back to Jess. "So are we going to work upstairs or down here?" she questioned.  
  
"Upstairs." He told her standing up. He leaned down and kissed Rory's cheek. "I'll see you later."  
  
"OK. I'll be here for dinner probably." She replied as she watched Jess walk upstairs followed by Becka. "I hate her." She sighed to herself.   
  
Later that night  
  
"Rory!" Lorelai called as she threw her coat down on the kitchen table. "Need. Coffee. Now."  
  
"Ruff day at the inn."  
  
"The ruffest." she sighed throwing herself on Rory's bed. "Hey what's wrong? Are you feeling OK?"  
  
"Yeah I'm fine." She smiled. "Jess got a B on his math test and he got a tutor."  
  
"That's good." She replied.   
  
"He's with his tutor right now."  
  
"Hmmm. So it's a girl right?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"A pretty one?"   
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Don't trust her as far as you can throw her?"  
  
"You got it." Rory sighed   
  
"But you trust Jess don't you?"  
  
"Of course. I do." she told her confidently. "You're right. There's nothing to worry about."  
  
"Want to go to Luke's and see what's going on?"  
  
"Can we?" she questioned putting her book down  
  
"Yeah. Let's go."  
  
**Luke's apartment**  
  
"Oh Jess you're so smart." Becka gushed as she leaned over the coffee table, putting her face inches from his. He was looking down at the table as he read a problem and worked it out. "I mean it. You're really good at this."  
  
"Thanks." he sighed, he was working hard and trying to concentrate  
  
"How are you doing on this problem." she questioned  
  
"I can't get it. I hate math." he sighed.  
  
"Oh come on. It's just this one problem that you should hate" she smirked moving closer to him and pushing her hair behind her ears. "Let me show you. I'm really good at this" she whispered into his ear. "I'm good at a lot of thing you know."  
  
"That's nice." he replied nervously putting his book down. "Umm I think I've had enough studying for today."  
  
"Are you sure?"   
  
"Yeah I'm positive." he told her. This was strange, he had never turned down a girl before. He stood and walked towards the door, pulling it open.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow then." she winked and brushed his chest with her hand as she left. She passed Rory on the way down and hit her purposely with her shoulder.  
  
"Excuse you." Rory sighed before knocking on the apartment door. "I told you I don't want to study anymore." Jess called from inside.  
  
"That's good cause I don't feel like studying." Rory replied as she opened the door and stepped in.  
  
"Hey." Jess stood up and walked over to her, kissing her gently. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Fine." she smiled. "How was the tutoring?"  
  
"It was OK. I still can't get this one problem." he told her . He decided not to tell her about Becky flirting with him, because it would only get her upset.  
  
"Yeah I don't think Becky or whatever her name is likes me very much." she laughed.  
  
"Why do you say that?" Jess asked not really wanting to talk about Becka. All he could think about was Rory and how beautiful she looked.  
  
"Because she bumped into me on purpose. I almost went flying down the stairs."  
  
"Well, I'll have to have a talk with her." he said getting a little angry that she would do that Rory.  
  
"No it's fine." Rory smiled wrapping her arms around his neck. "She's probably just jealous because she knows that you're mine."  
  
"Yeah that's probably it. We both know how irresistible I am." Jess joked putting his arms around her waist.  
  
"Funny." she laughed kissing him softly. "Let's not talk about her anymore."  
  
"Hey, wanna know what I just realized?" Jess asked her.  
  
"What?"  
  
"I never formally asked you to go out with me."   
  
"That's right you didn't." she looked into his eyes and waited. "Well..."  
  
"Oh yeah right." he laughed. "Rory, I was wondering if you might want to be my girlfriend."  
  
"Umm I'll have to get back to you on that one."   
  
"Oh." he sighed and looked down.  
  
"I'm kidding." she laughed.   
  
"What? OH yeah I knew that." he lied.  
  
"Sure you did."  
  
"What you don't believe me?" he smirked.  
  
"Aww don't smile" His smiled had a weird affect on her. She loved the tiny dimples that you could just make out on his cheeks. "How can I resist that smile."  
  
"It's hard. You might have to kiss me."   
  
"Yeah. I might." she grinned and leaned forward. "I said might." she laughed pulling away and walking towards the couch.   
  
"That was harsh." he took a seat on the couch and she laid back resting her head on his lap.   
  
"Do you think we're really going to go to Boston and live together?" Rory asked seriously.  
  
"I'm doing my best to make it happen." He didn't wanted to disappoint her, he knew that Harvard was her dream and he was determined not to be the reason she didn't go there.  
  
"It's gonna be weird living with you." She giggled. "Do you snore?"  
  
"Kinda. Do you?"  
  
"Of course I don't." she smiled.  
  
"Yeah right you're probably louder then Luke and believe me that's loud. Yup you're a loud one, no wonder why Lorelai needs so much coffee you probably keep her up all night long."  
  
"Hey." she smacked his arms and sat up on her knees. "I do not snore."  
  
"I'll just have to ask your mom then." he decided.  
  
"NO don't."   
  
"Ha I knew it." he pointed at her.  
  
"Yeah well maybe I should ask Luke how loud you are."  
  
"Go ahead I have nothing to hide." he leaned back putting his arms behind is head.  
  
"Oh yeah?" she asked "not even the fact that your ticklish?" she added before tickling his under arms. Laughing uncontrollably Jess rolled of the couch and onto the floor. Rory landed on top of him. "I got you." she said as she caught her breath.   
  
"I set myself up for that one." he told her still laughing.  
  
"Well, don't let us interrupt." Jess and Rory looked towards the sound of Lorelai's voice. She and Luke were stand in the door.  
  
"Hey mom." Rory smiled as Jess helped her up. "Are we leaving already?"  
  
"Yes we are daughter of mine, but if you and Jess want to finish what ever is was you were doing we could just go back...." she trailed off pointing at the door.  
  
"Mom we weren't doing anything. We were joking around." Rory told her.  
  
"OK good cause that would have been very uncomfortable if we walked in on you guys doing something." Lorelai pretended to wipe sweat from her forehead. "I'll be waiting downstairs, but I'm really tired so don't make it a long good-bye."  
  
"I'll just come down with you now." Rory offered taking Jess's hand and following Lorelai and Luke downstairs. Rory stopped in her tracks when she found Dean standing outside looking in the window. "What is he doing here?" she whispered as she watched him enter the diner.  
  
"Rory I need to talk to you." he announced.  
  
"Go away Dean." Jess ordered "She doesn't want to talk to you."  
  
"No it's fine Jess." Rory stopped him. "What do you want to talk about Dean?"  
  
"Can we maybe go outside. It's kind of private." he told her. Rory could tell that he was really upset. She had never seen Dean like this, it looked like he would burst into tears any second.  
  
"Yeah. OK." she agreed reluctantly. Jess gripped her hand tightly, but Rory made him release it. "It's OK" she mouthed to him before leaving with Dean. They walked for a few minutes in complete silence and Rory couldn't take it anymore. "What did you want to talk about?"  
  
"I really miss you Rory." he said almost in a whisper. "I know the only reason you're with Jess is because of the baby and because you thought that I didn't love you anymore because you were pregnant." Rory didn't know what to say, how could she tell Dean that she did actually like Jess. "I just want you to know that I don't care about any of that and I still want to be with you." he told her.  
  
"Dean..." she started but was cut off by Dean's lips hitting hers.  
  
"What the hell is going on here?"   
  
Rory pulled back. "Jess!"  
  
"Don't talk!" he ordered. "I should have known you still had feeling for him. You still love him don't you?" he asked. "You know what don't answer that. I don't want to here it." he turned and walked away.  
  
"Jess wait please." she called following behind him, but he began to run and she couldn't catch up to him. "Damn it."  
  
"Rory it's OK." Dean told her rubbing her arm. "He'll get over it. He'll find someone else and he'll accept us eventually."  
  
"Stop it Dean!" Rory ordered. "I don't want to be with you I want to be with Jess. I LOVE Jess." Had she actually just said that she loved Jess. She had always known that she really like Jess, but love? When she said it, it seemed so right. "I love Jess." she repeat to herself. "I'm sorry Dean."  
  
"Just don't talk to me." he cried and walked away leaving Rory standing alone.  
  
"I have to find Jess."   
  
**Jess**  
  
Jess walked slowly down the side walk. He kicked a stone across the road and shoved his hands into his pockets. "Idiot." he growled to himself. "I should have known this was too good to be true."  
  
"Jess." a voice called from behind him.  
  
"Shane." he sighed. "I haven't seen you in a while."  
  
"Yeah. My parents made me go live with my grandparents in Boston for a month. I must have forgotten to tell you." she giggle and Jess rolled his eyes. "I missed kissing you."  
  
"Oh."   
  
"Oh? Come on Jess didn't you miss your girlfriend?" she grinned leaning towards him.  
  
"Look Shane this isn't a good time." he pulled away. "What did you say?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Did you just say girlfriend?"  
  
"Yeah. Jess don't be mad at me. I'm sorry i forgot to tell you i was leaving" Shane smiled, but before Jess had a chance to answer.....  
  
"Jess..." He heard Rory call.  
  
"What do you want Rory?" he asked nervously. " Shouldn't you be with Dean?"  
  
"Jess this is all just a huge misunderstanding."  
  
"Hey freak. Can you go away? I'm busy talking to my boyfriend." Shane order.  
  
"Shane can you leave us alone?" Jess asked. She argeed reluctantly, giving Rory a dirty look before leaving.  
  
"I'm sorry I thought she just said girlfriend." Rory looked a Jess. "Am I hearing things."  
  
"We umm... never technically ... broke up." Jess stuttered.  
  
"Excuse me!?" Rory couldn't believe what she was hearing. "You're still going out with Shane."  
  
"Hey you kissed Dean." Jess retorted.  
  
"NO Dean kissed me." Rory corrected. "I can't believe you would even think that I would do that to you."  
  
"What was i supposed to think? I came to make sure you were OK and I find you making out with Dean."  
  
"We were not making out he kissed me, you came and it was over" Rory sighed. "It all happened so fast."  
  
"Look Rory I'm sorry that I doubted you, but I don't trust Dean."  
  
"No you don't trust me." Rory yelled. "This isn't going to work Jess. I was so sure that everything would be fine, but i was just kidding myself." she cried before turning and walking away. Jess began to go after her. "DON'T follow me Jess! I mean it." she yelled stopping his and is tracks. He watched her walked away. 


	9. A whole or a half?

Disclaimer: I don't own anything  
Chapter 9  
  
Rory sighed as she entered her dark room and flipped on the lights. She couldn't believe that she and Jess had gotten into a fight. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. They were supposed to be happy and in love, but instead they were miserable, fighting and apparently dating other people. "Bed." She called with longing as she shuffled towards it and climbed in. "I missed you."   
  
"Hey sweetie." Lorelai smiled. "Did you just get home?"  
  
"Yup." She sighed.   
  
"I take it the talk with Dean didn't go great."  
  
"How'd you guess?"  
  
"What happened?" she asked taking a seat on Rory's bed.  
  
"He kissed me."  
  
"Dean?"   
  
Rory nodded. "Jess saw."  
  
"Oh my God." She put her hand over her mouth. "Did he kick his ass?"  
  
"NO! He thought that I was still in love with Dean and he just walked away." She sighed. "Well, actually ran."  
  
"He actually thought that?"  
  
"Yup."  
  
"What a jerk. Doesn't he trust you?"  
  
"Exactly my point." she agreed  
  
"So that's what you guys fought about?"  
  
"And the fact that he and Shane are still dating." He added.  
  
"WHAT!?"  
  
"In his defense, he didn't know they were still dating. He forgot to break up with her."  
  
"OK I know I've asked this before, but let me repeat... He thinks he's going to Boston college?"  
  
"Mom now's not a good time."  
  
"How could you forget to break up with someone?" she asked.  
  
"I don't know!"  
  
"I mean that has to hit a 10 on the stupidity meter."  
  
"There's a stupidity meter?"  
  
"NO ... but if there were ... he would definitely get a 10 out of 10." Lorelai nodded.  
  
"I'm not disagreeing."   
  
"So how long till you make up?"  
  
"I don't know Mom." She sighed.  
  
"Well, I need you to come with me to get coffee tomorrow." She wined.  
  
"Hey, I'm on strict orders to stay in this bed for 3 more days. I can't go to Luke's."  
  
"Oh please The only time you've been in the bed is when you're sleeping." Lorelai told her. "That's just an excuse."  
  
"It's not my fault I can't lay in this bed all day." She sighed. "But I decided that I should probably start now."  
  
"Yeah OK. Let's see how long that lasts."  
  
"I could tell you right now. 3 days."   
  
"Put your money where you mouth is."  
  
"If I had money I would."  
  
"Fine." She dug into her pocket. "Here's 10 bucks. Congratulations on your baby." She smiled slamming the bill into her hand.   
  
"Thanks." She smiled taking the money.  
  
"Hey hey hey. You have the money now you can bet me."  
  
"Fine I will."  
  
"OH it's on sister." She clapped. "I feel my wallet getting big as we speak."  
  
"You don't have a wallet."  
  
"Well, if I did I would feeling it gettin bigger." She yelled with excitement.  
  
"So if you win you get this." She held up the bill. "What do I get if I win?"  
  
"Well, then you get to keep that 10 dollars that I just gave you." She smiled.  
  
"Wow." She put on a fake smiled. "What motivation."  
  
"Isn't it?" she looked at the digital clock beside Rory's bed, it read 10:07. "You need sleep." She told her.  
  
"Yeah." She agreed as Lorelai stood and kissed her forehead. "Night."  
  
"Night sweets." She smiled before switching off the light and pulling the door closed.  
  
**Luke's apartment**  
  
Jess slammed the door behind him after entering the apartment. "You break it you buy it." Luke called from the couch.  
  
"Whatever." He sighed and walked towards his room.  
  
"Wait." Luke stopped him. "What's going on?"  
  
"I'm not in the mood for a Full House moment right now." He replied before slamming his bedroom door behind him. Jess ripped off his jacket and threw it on the floor. He pulled his shirt over his head and slipped on a white tee shirt. He grabbed a book from his collection and threw himself onto his bed. After a few minutes of reading and trying to find a comfortable position, he finally gave up. "This only makes me think of her more." He sighed and tossed the book onto his night table. He pulled down the covers and slipped under, then reached over and switched of his lamp.  
  
"OK this is going to bother me." Luke announced, entering the room and switching the over head light on.  
  
Jess sat up quickly is his bed. "What the....."  
  
"Did something happen with Rory? Is she OK?"  
  
"Luke she's fine, we just had a fight."  
  
"About what?"  
  
"Leave me ALONE!" he yelled pulling the covers over his head.  
  
"Fine but I'll find out eventually."  
  
"I'm sure it will be in the local gossip column tomorrow." Jess told him sarcastically.  
  
"Why would it be in there?"  
  
"Oh my God. There's an actual gossip column?"  
  
"No, but there's Miss. Patty."  
  
"Well, then go talk to her." He grumbled from under the blanket. "And turn off the light before you go."  
  
** Next day **  
  
"Hey Mister." Lorelai greeted as she entered the diner. She took a seat at the counter.  
  
"Hey where's Rory?" he asked.  
  
"In bed." She replied. "Coffee."  
  
"What happened with her and Jess?"  
  
"Shouldn't you be asking Jess that?" she wondered  
  
"I already did, but he told me to leave him alone."  
  
"So he was his normal, kind self." She joked, not receiving a smile from Luke. "Oh come on. Don't I even get a little smile?"  
  
"Tell me what happened."  
  
"Fine." She agreed and explained the whole situation to Luke.  
  
"Wow."  
  
"I know." She sighed. "Give me a coffee to go. I have to get a doctor's note from Rory's doctor for Chilton."  
  
"For what?"  
  
"Well, she decided that she should stay in bed and actually follow the doctor's orders." She explained. "She doesn't want to get any unexcused absences."  
  
"Good idea."  
  
"I thought so." Lorelai agreed.  
  
"I'll see you later." She called, grabbing her coffee.  
  
"Later." He replied as Jess came shuffling down the stairs with his backpack over his shoulder. "Morning sunshine."  
  
"It's too early."   
  
"Well, now that you're actually going to school and you can't sleep till noon, I would have to agree that 8:00 would be pretty early for you."  
  
"Yup." he replied and grabbed a pop tart from a box under the counter  
  
"Are you gonna go see Rory today after school?"  
  
"Why did she say something?" He wondered trying to show little enthusiasm but failing miserably.  
  
"No, she didn't come this morning. She's staying in bed for the next 3 days."   
  
"Oh." He sighed and headed for the door. "See yeah."  
  
That afternoon, Jess walked down the sidewalk on his way home. He was having a hard time adjusting to his new schedule, before he would only go to school when he felt like it or when he had nothing better to do to pass the time until Rory would get home. He smiled at the thought of her and decided that he need to fix everything with her.   
  
He came to her front door and paused for minute, before knocking. "Who is it?" He heard Rory call from inside, her voice sounded muffled.  
  
"It's me." He replied.  
  
"Jess?" she asked, surprised that he had come over. "I don't know if want you here." She told him.  
  
"We need to talk Rory."  
  
"Fine the door is open." She called. Jess opened the door and stepped in. "I'm in here." Her voice came from the bedroom. He made his way through the kitchen and stopped in her doorway.  
  
"Hey."   
  
"Hey?" she repeated. "Can I get a little more then a hey? Maybe an I'm sorry would be nice."  
  
"I was getting there." He told her. "Just figured I should greet you first."  
  
"Come in." She permitted and he complied, entering the room  
  
"I just wanted to tell you that I'm really sorry for everything that happen last night. I was an idiot to believe that you still like Dean."  
  
"Yes, you were. Go on." She sat up is her bed and crossed her arms.  
  
"And I'm also really REALLY sorry that I didn't know me and Shane were still dating, but don't worry because I ended everything with her today."  
  
"That's nice." she sighed  
  
"Rory come on." he pleaded. "I'm trying to make things better... I don't want to be in a fight with you."  
  
"I don't either."  
  
"So are we OK now?"  
  
"I guess." She sighed.   
  
"Rory..."  
  
"Come here." She motioned for him to sit on the bed beside her. She cupped her hands around his face and kissed him. "I missed you."  
  
"Yeah after that whole day we were apart." He laughed.  
  
"You didn't miss me?"   
  
"Of course I did.. . n't" Jess laughed, receiving a smack on the shoulder. " I'm joking."  
  
"You better be." She pointed her finger at him. He smiled and leaned over to kiss her again.   
  
"Want to go for a walk?"   
  
"I can't. I have to stay in bed."   
  
"It won't hurt if you're out for 20 minutes." He told her.  
  
"I know but then I'll lose."  
  
"Lose?"  
  
"My mom and I made a bet. She said that I won't be able to stay in bed for 3 days and I said that I will. "  
  
"What do you get if you win?"  
  
"I get to keep that 10 dollar that she gave me."  
  
"Wow." He said sarcastically.  
  
"I know. I want to rub her face in it when I win, but the 10 bucks is definitely a plus."  
  
"Well, good luck with that." He told her, standing up.  
  
"Where are you going?"  
  
"I have to meet Becka at the diner in 10 minutes. We're doing American history today" He sighed and kissed her forehead. "I know you don't like her."  
  
"I never said that. All I said was she doesn't like me."  
  
"OK well. I'll call you later or something. If we get done early enough, but I'm not calling after 9:00 so don't wait up." He told her.  
  
"I'll see you later." She smiled as he walked towards the door. "Have fun."  
  
"I'm sure." He called.  
  
"Not too much." She whispered to herself after she heard the door close.  
  
** Next day**  
  
Rory is walking through the kitchen on her way back from the bathroom when her mom spots her. "HEY you're out of bed." Lorelai pointed out.  
  
"Oh come on you can't be serious." Rory laughed. "Bathroom trips don't count."  
  
"We never agreed on that." Lorelai told her. "If they did then you would be out of bed every 5 minutes so there would be no point to the bet."  
  
"Didn't you figure I would have to use the bathroom?"  
  
"Yeah that's what I was counting on." Lorelai smiled.  
  
"Not fair."  
  
"Fine bathroom breaks are aloud." She agreed reluctantly, taking a sip of her coffee. "But only in 5 minute intervals."  
  
"Mom."  
  
"Come on I need to make it interesting. My life is boring with you in bed all the time."  
  
"I'm going in bed now." She told her.  
  
"That's good because you're time ran up... " she looked at her watch. " ... 2 minutes ago... I'll let it go this time."  
  
"How big of you." Rory trudged back into her room.  
  
"I'm going to Luke's, then the Inn. I should be back around 6:00. I'll call if I'm gonna be late." Lorelai called. "Bye sweets." She walked out the front door and closed the door behind her.  
  
**Diner**  
  
"Good morning people." Lorelai greeted as she entered the diner and sat down. "Coffee please Lucas."  
  
"Don't call me that and you can have all the coffee you want." He told her putting an empty cup in front of her.  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah For today." He smiled slightly and Lorelai frowned. "After that you're limit is a pot."  
  
"What if me and Rory are both drinking from the pot and I only get half, do I get another half a pot?"  
  
Luke looked at her in amazement. "You're whacked."  
  
"So I've been told." She smiled brightly as he filled her cup. She looked over at the stairs as Jess came flying down.   
  
"You're down early today." Luke noted out loud.  
  
"Yup." He replied grabbing a cup and filling it with orange juice. "Morning Lorelai."  
  
"Morning." She greeted with a hint of surprise in her voice. "You're very chipper this morning."  
  
"Yeah, I had a good sleep." He told her. "How's the bet going?"  
  
"I take it you and Rory made up." She smiled and Jess nodded. "The bet is going really bad, for me at least. For her it's going just peachy." Lorelai reached into her purse and pulled out 2 dollar bills. "Look at this. I'm in desperate need of that 10 dollars." She questioned and put her money on the counter. "Jess I was thinking that you could....."  
  
"Don't get me involved in this." He held his hands up.   
  
"On the house." Luke shoved the money back towards her.  
  
"Thanks you just saved me from going bankrupt." She joked and Luke handed her a coffee to go. "How did you know I was gonna ask for this?"  
  
"You ask everyday."  
  
"But what if I wasn't going to ask today. What if I wanted to change it up a little and get orange juice or milk?"   
  
Luke gave her a look. "From the moment the I met you I have never know you to ask for anything other then coffee, unless someone forced you to drink something else."  
  
"That someone would be you." Lorelai added. "I still can believe you gave me hot chocolate instead of coffee."  
  
"It was good wasn't it?"  
  
"Chocolate does contain caffeine." She agreed and grabbed her purse. "I'll see you later."  
  
"Later." Luke replied then turned and found Jess staring at him. "What?"  
  
"You soo want her." Jess smiled before grabbing his things and leaving. 


	10. Children in Chilton

Chapter 10  
  
It was Rory's last day of bed rest and Jess was on his way to visit her. He approached the door and knocked. Lorelai opened the door with a frowning face. "What's wrong?" he questioned, entering the house. "Is Rory okay?"  
  
"Yeah, she's absolutely fine," she replied. "She's resting."  
  
"Then what's the problem?"  
  
"SHE'S RESTING!" she repeated. "I'm going to lose the bet, huh?"  
  
"At this point, it appears so," he told her.  
  
"Are you sure you won't reconsider helping me out a little?" she pleaded.  
  
"I'm sure." He laughed.  
  
"What's that?" She questioned, pointing to the plastic bag by Jess's side.  
  
"Just some stuff for Rory."  
  
"Fun stuff to keep her in bed?"  
  
"Yeah, I guess," He admitted reluctantly.  
  
"Traitor."  
  
He shook his head at her as he walked towards Rory's room and knocked on the open door frame. "Good afternoon, Ms. Gilmore."  
  
"Hey! What are you doing here?" she questioned excitedly.  
  
"I asked Becka to come a little later," he told her. "Happy?"  
  
"Very." She smiled as he leaned down and kissed her, only this kiss was a little bit longer then any of their other kisses. "What do you have?" She pulled at the bag.  
  
"I made you a boredom busting package." He took a seat on the bed and opened the bag. "A deck of cards." He pulled them out and put them on the bed and then took out a stuffed bear with the words 'Hug me' on it. "I figured if I can't sleep with you, this is the second best." He told her and she blushed. "Okay, you're tough to shop for." He sighed and looked into the bag. "I found this at the used book section in the book store." He held out a book for her.  
  
"Your Pregnancy." She read the title and took the book from him. She opened to a page and looked at one of the pictures. "Ewww." She made a face.  
  
Jess took it from her and turned it around so he could see. "Aw, that's disgusting!" he yelled and threw the book down.  
  
"Thank you for the book but remind me to avoid page 15."   
  
"Will do" he agreed. "Okay, last but not least." He smiled and pulled out another book.  
  
"Oh my God Jess." She smiled taking it from him. "A baby name book."  
  
"Yeah. I figured you could pass the time in bed by picking out names you liked." he told her.   
  
"You're so sweet. Thank you." She beamed ,opening the book. "Hey, wanna make fun of the weird names with me?"  
  
"As fun as that sounds ,I have to go."  
  
"What are you studying today?"  
  
"Math again. I have a test tomorrow."  
  
"Oh well, good luck," she wished. "I'll see you in Luke's tomorrow before school! I'll finally be able to get out of this house," she said excitedly.  
  
He grinned and kissed her goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow."  
  
**Next morning**  
  
Jess was already in the diner when the girls came in. "Wow. You get earlier and earlier every day, don't you?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Only when I have something to get up for." He smiled at Rory. "How does it feel to be free?"  
  
"Great." She took out her 10 dollar bill. "Coffee for my mom and orange juice for me."  
  
"Don't worry about it. You're practically family now," Luke told her.  
  
"What's the fun of winning money if I can't spend it?" Rory questioned.  
  
"Hey, don't argue with the man. He's offering free food." Lorelai nudged her. "So does this practically family thing go for me too?"  
  
"Of course," Luke replied. "But you're probably gonna put me in the poor house with all the coffee you inhale."  
  
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just bring on the free coffee," she joked.  
  
"I have to leave. I don't want to miss the bus on my first day back," Rory announced.  
  
"Oh no!" Lorelai complained. "You have to stay with me."  
  
"What the fun in watching you drink coffee?"  
  
"It's not fun."  
  
"See." Rory insisted.  
  
"But it's fun for me to watch you drool over watching me drink coffee."  
  
"I'm going." Rory repeated before kissing her good bye and grabbing her bag.  
  
"I'll walk you," Jess offered and they left to catch the bus.  
  
"Will I see you later?" she wondered.  
  
"I don't know, I'm gonna be studying with Becka right after school, so I'll probably be done around 5:00 if you wanna stop by."  
  
"Okay. I'll see you then." She smiled and kissed him goodbye before getting on the bus.  
  
**Chilton**  
Rory made her way down the halls with Paris stuck to her side babbling on about something, but Rory wasn't really paying attention. She would just throw in a "You're absolutely right," in every once and a while and Paris was happy. As she walked, Rory noticed that a couple of the people she passed were whispering and laughing. She dismissed it, thinking that everything was just in her head. She and Paris entered the cafeteria and grabbed a tray of food before taking their seats. About 20 minutes later, Madeline and her friends giggled as they approached Rory with an extra tray of food. "Rory," she laughed. "We brought this for you."  
  
"Why?" She questioned, looking at the tray. "What did you do to it?"  
  
"Nothing." She smiled. "We just figured you would need it since you're eating for two now." Rory, surprised, looked up at them. "Yup that's right mommy, we know."  
  
"Go away Madeline. You have no idea what you're talking about." She growled, opening her milk.   
  
"So you're saying you're not pregnant?" Madeline questioned.  
  
"That's exactly what I'm saying," Rory retorted. She just wanted them to leave. She knew they would find out eventually but she wasn't prepared to deal with it today. Madeline and her friend rolled their eyes and walked away.  
  
"What was that about?" Paris questioned. "Why would they think you're pregnant?"  
  
"Who knows," Rory sighed, wondering how they had found out.  
  
**Later that day**  
  
Rory sat staring out the window of her English class. She was occasionally writing down name ideas for the baby.   
  
"Rory," a voice interrupted her. "Rory, are you listening?"  
  
"Yeah. What?" she replied.  
  
"The dean wants you in his office," her teacher told her.  
  
"Oh, okay." she said, unsure of what he would want. She got a hall pass from her teacher, made her way down the hall and entered the waiting room. "Um, I'm Rory Gilmore. The dean wanted to see me."  
  
"Yes, one minute please," his secretary sighed and dialed a few numbers of the phone before putting the receiver to her ear. "Rory Gilmore is in the waiting room," she heard her say before hanging up. "You can go in."  
  
"Thanks," she smiled, before entering the dean's office. She found her mother and grandmother sitting in the leather chairs in front of his desk.   
  
"Rory. Sit down please," the dean told her. "Now that we're all here we can start."  
  
"What's going on?" Lorelai questioned as Rory took a seat beside her.  
  
"Well, the nurse brought something to our attention the other day," he told them. "We received an absence excuse from a Dr. Murphy saying that Rory was on bed rest, because she was having complications with her baby."  
  
"Yes. What does that have to do with anything?" Emily questioned.  
  
"The topic of Rory's pregnancy was brought up at the PTA meeting on Tuesday and….."  
  
"Oh God," Rory sighed, burying her hands in her face. "That's how everyone knew."  
  
"Everyone knows?" Lorelai questioned.  
  
"How dare you discuss my granddaughter's private problems with the entire school."  
  
"It's not a problem, Mom. It's a baby," Lorelai corrected.  
  
"WHATEVER it is.," The dean interrupted, "Chilton does not promote this type of situation."  
  
"What is that supposed to mean?" Lorelai asked sternly.  
  
"I'm very sorry Rory, but we can't allow you to continue in Chilton."  
  
"WHAT!" all three girls yelled at once.   
  
Rory looked up at the dean with determination. "This doesn't mean that my grades are going to slip. I'll work just as hard as I did before. I promise. Just don't make me leave."  
  
"I'm sorry Rory, there's nothing I can do."  
  
"Don't be ridiculous, of course she's going to stay," Emily stated.   
  
"No Emily. This is one thing that I will not budge on," the dean told her. "The whole school board has voted and this is Rory's last day at Chilton."  
  
"I'm paying good money for this school and Rory is not leaving," Emily told him, standing up. "Now go on, Rory. We don't want you to miss any more class time."  
  
"The only reason Rory will be going back to class is to get her bag." He looked at Rory. "You can go."  
  
Rory was stunned, she sat staring at the dean for a minute before she could process what was happening. *There goes Harvard.* she thought to herself as she slowly stood and left to get her things. *This can't be happening,* she almost cried as she listened to her grandmother yelling from down the hall. She stopped at the classroom door, this was the last time she would ever enter this room. Rory opened the door with tears rolling down her cheeks and walked through her ex-classmates to her desk across the room. Looking up she watched Madeline lean over and whisper something to one of her friends. She collected her notebooks and her English book, then threw her backpack over her shoulder. "Rory, what are you doing?" the teacher questioned.  
  
"Leaving," she replied simply because it was all she could get out. She walked up to the front of the class towards her teacher and handed him her book. "I won't be needing this." She sighed and threw her notebooks in the trash beside his desk.  
  
"Rory...," he sighed, knowing exactly what had happened. There had been a rumor going around the school all day about her pregnancy and now the whole school would know it was true. Rory shook her head and turned to her class. She felt like such an idiot, she knew that they all knew what was going on. Chilton was like Stars Hollow, a small town where news and gossip traveled quickly. She walked out quickly, slamming the door behind her. "Rory," a voice called once she was halfway down the hall.  
  
"Hey Paris." she tried to smile.  
  
"Is it true?" she questioned as she approached her.  
  
She nodded. "They kicked me out."  
  
"Wow." Paris sighed. "I'm really sorry Rory." She stopped and thought for a minute. "Look, I know that I haven't always been the nicest to you, but I feel like we kind of... you know, became friends in Washington." Paris was acting strangely, was she actually being sincere? "Anyway, um, good luck and maybe I'll come visit you some time." She told her before wrapping her arms around Rory's neck and pulling away quickly. "Bye."  
  
"Bye." Rory smiled a little as she watched Paris hurry back to class. "That was weird." She could hardly believe it, but she was actually going to miss Paris.  
  
"Rory," Lorelai called as Emily and Lorelai came out of the office.  
  
"Mom," she sobbed as Lorelai wrapped her arms around her. "Oh, sweetie. I'm sorry."  
  
"I'm not going to say a word," Emily interrupted.   
  
"Good."   
  
"But if I were to say something, it would probably be I told you so."  
  
"Mom," Lorelai warned. "Now is not the time."  
  
"Oh, come on Lorelai. This is ridiculous. I tried, I really did, but look what this child is doing to her life," she protested. "I can't stand to be here anymore. I'm leaving. Good luck at Stars Hollow High." Emily sighed before leaving.  
  
"Forget her," Lorelai told Rory. "Come on kiddo, let's go home. We don't need this stuffy place anyway."  
  
**Home**  
  
Rory was tucked in her bed, watching soap operas on the tiny travel TV that Lorelai bought for her. "Hey, do you feel better?" Lorelai wondered as she popped her head into Rory's room.  
  
"What do you think?" Rory asked, pointing to the TV. "I'm actually watching soap operas."  
  
"Ooo, what are you watching?" she questioned.  
  
"Days of Our Lives."   
  
"Oh my God." Lorelai ran to the bed. "Did they find Hope and the baby yet?"  
  
"Nope. But Belle and Shawn are making out so it's not a total loss," Rory joked.  
  
"Oh good." Lorelai smiled sitting down next to her. "Have you called Jess and told him yet?"  
  
"No. He's still at school," she sighed staring at the TV.   
  
Lorelai smiled. " I'm gonna go get some grub from Luke's. You wanna come?"  
  
"Nope, I'm gonna sleep a little."   
  
"Okay, you want me to bring you back anything?"  
  
"Yeah. Lots of fries and a sandwich."  
  
"I'll see ya later then."  
  
**Luke's diner**  
  
"Hey Luke," Lorelai sighed, shoved her purse on the counter. "Coffee please."  
  
"You look like you had a fun day." he said sarcastically.   
  
"You have no idea." He handed her a cup of coffee. "Wow."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You gave me coffee...without a protest." she said, amazed.   
  
"So."  
  
"That was way too easy." She smiled, taking a sip of her coffee. "What's wrong with you?"  
  
"Nothing, you looked like you needed it. I was afraid you would hurt me if I didn't give it to you."  
  
"Wise man."  
  
"So, what's going on?"   
  
"Rory got kicked out of Chilton," she told him.  
  
"What? Why?"  
  
"They found out that she was pregnant." She did her best impression of the dean. "Chilton doesn't promote that kind of situation."  
  
"Wow. What an ass."  
  
"I know." She frowned. " My poor kid is devastated. She took a final sip from her coffee cup and sighed.  
"As much as I'd like to continues my rants," She stood and grabbed her bag. " I have to go enroll Rory at Stars Hollow High."  
  
"Have fun."  
  
"I'm sure I will," she called as she left. Lorelai arrived at the high school and stepped out of the car. It looked so dumpy compared to Chilton's cherry wood walls and marble floors. Her shoes clicked as she walked across the tile towards the main office. She walked by two girls then turned the corner.  
  
"Oh my God, Jess is so hot." This caught Lorelai's attention, she backed up and peeked around the corner. She recognized the girls as the tutor that had been helping Jess. " You should see him trying to figure out the problems, it's so cute." she gushed. "I just want to kiss that boy. Of course I think he likes that Rory Gimore girl, but I can make him forget all about her."  
  
"That hussy." Lorelai whispered to herself.  
  
"When are you gonna make your move?" the girl's friend asked.  
  
"I don't know. I was thinking tonight when I go over to his place. We study all alone in his apartment."  
  
"You are so lucky Beck," she said and looked at her watch. "We better get back to class."  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow." Becka called as she began to walk closer Lorelai, who panicked. Becka turned the corner and bumped right into Lorelai. "Excuse me. I'm so sorry."  
  
"You should watch where you're going." Lorelai warned before turning away and walking towards the office. 


	11. Problems galore

Chapter 11  
  
Rory sat with her blankets pulled up to her chest, used tissues surrounded her as she cried.  The realization of what had happened today along with everything else that had happen over the past few weeks were too much for her.  It all started when she found out she was pregnant, then she broke up with Dean, almost lost her baby, had to tell her grandparents, got into a fight with Jess because he never broke up with Shane, and because Dean kissed her. And as if that wasn't enough she got kicked out of Chilton, now she would have to go to Stars Hollow High.  "At least life can't get any worst,"  Rory sniffed to herself and reached for another tissue from the box, but her hand came out empty. "Stupid tissues," she growled and threw the box at wall, as Lorelai entered.  
  
"Whoa. Next time warn me of flying objects before I enter your room." Lorelai laughed. "You're dangerous. I mean you should seriously hang a sign that says 'boxes crossing' or something"  
  
"Sorry." She sniffled. "There's no more tissues."  
  
"Well, they're stupid anyway," she mocked.  
  
"Mom," she sobbed as Lorelai moved to comfort her.   
  
"I know. I'm sorry." She sighed and brushed a tear off Rory's cheek.  "Oh sweetie. Why don't you call Jess and talk to him for a little while, maybe he'll make you feel better," she suggested.  
  
"Yeah I need to tell him about Chilton, but I want to tell him in person. I'll just go see him at Luke's," Rory told her, she hadn't been out of the house since she got back from Chilton and she really needed to be with Jess, he would make her better.  
  
"That sounds like a good idea. I need coffee. I'll go with you."  
  
Rory looked at the clock. "It's only 4:30, he's not done being tutored yet, but I'm sure he wouldn't mind finishing 30 minutes early."  
  
Lorelai panicked, remembering what Becka had said earlier at the high school. "Actually...maybe we should stay home," Lorelai stuttered nervously.  
  
"What are you talking about? You just said it was a good idea. You said you were hungry." She looked at her suspiciously.  
  
"Well, umm Luke is having a coffee special. Two for one. It starts at ummm 5:00" she struggled for an excuse.  
  
"First of all, you get free coffee now," Rory reminder her. "and second of all you suck at lying. What's going on?"   
  
"Nothing Rory...God, why would think...why do you say I'm...nothing's wrong," she stuttered and ended with a smile.  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"Fine. When I went to the school today to enroll you...I kinda heard that girl that tutors Jess talking to her friend..."  
  
"And," Rory pushed.  
  
"...and she said she was going to try something with Jess today," she told reluctantly.  
  
"What! I knew I couldn't trust that...that.."  
  
"Hussy," Lorelai finished.  
  
"For lack of a meaner word, yes!" she yelled.  
  
"Hey, don't yell at me, save it for the hussy."   
  
"Okay, I will," she yelled again, throwing her covers off and putting on a pair of jeans and a long sleeved shirt. "I'm going to Luke's."  
  
"Oh, I wanna come. I'm an experienced fight stopper, remember." Lorelai smiled with excitement as the girl grabbed their coats.  
  
"Fine, but just don't stop it till I get a punch in," Rory told her before they left.  
  
"Deal."  
  
**Luke's **  
  
"Hey Luke. Can I go up? Thanks," Rory stated without a pause as she rushed threw the diner and up the stairs.  
  
She had already made it halfway up before he had a chance to say. "Yeah, go ahead."  
  
"Call me if you need back up," Lorelai called. She stayed downstairs and went to explain to Luke.  
  
Rory stormed up the steps and pressed her ear against the door to hear what was going on.  "I think that's enough studying for today." Becka smirked as she leaned over and closed the book in front of Jess.  
  
"Okay, good. I'll see you tomorrow then," he told her, trying to get her out as soon as possible. She has spent the last week flirting with him and he was starting to get nervous that she would try something.  He would never do anything to hurt Rory, but he was nervous that his hormones would take over. Hormones could be a scary and unpredictable thing, if anyone knew that, it was him now that Rory's were out of control.  
  
"Actually, I was hoping we could just hang out for a little while." Becka brushed his shoulder and Rory rolled her eyes. "Listen to the some music, turn the lights down...mess around a little," she offered, running her hand threw his hair, Rory's eyes widened with anger.  
  
"NO I don't think that's such a good idea." Jess stood up quickly, this brought a smile to Rory's face. Jess grabbed her jacket and held it out to her. "Here."  
  
She took it, threw it on the couch, then pushed him against the wall and pressed her hand against the wall behind him, one hand on either side of his head. "Forget about her," She told him, referring to Rory. "She'll never give you what I can."  
  
"Look Becka, I'm not interested," he told her, trying to duck under her arms, but she wouldn't let him out.  
  
"Get your slutty hands off of him," Rory yelled, opening the door.  
  
"Well, look who's here." Becka grinned. "Does Rory know what a bad boyfriend you've been?"  
  
"What?" Jess questioned with a mixture of anger and nervousness. "Rory, I didn't do anything. I swear."  
  
"I know you didn't," Rory told him, pushing Becka's hand up and pulling Jess towards her. "I think you need to leave and forget about tutoring Jess again."  
  
"I think that's for Jess to decide."   
  
"I agree," he told her.  
  
"Shut up Jess. You're just saying that because your freak of a girlfriend is here. You know you wanted me."  
  
"Okay, that's it! I've had enough. Jess doesn't want you! Get it through your head. I know it's probably hard for you to process and store more then one piece of information in that tiny brain of yours, but if you have to remember one thing it better be that you will NEVER ever get Jess,"  Rory yelled and Becka opened her mouth say something. "Shut up. I'm not done.  Just to repeat so that it gets threw to you. Leave my boyfriend alone! Don't talk to him, don't touch him, don't even LOOK at him or I promise you, you will regret it, you little slut!"  
  
"You bitch," Becka screamed, slapping her in the face. "Don't ever talk to me that way again."  
  
Rory held her face, then pushed her with force almost knocking Becka down. "I've put up with people ten times worse then you and I can take whatever insult you have.  No matter what you do, I can guarantee you that you will never have Jess and that is a promise."  
  
"Whatever," Becka growled, grabbing her jacket. "I'll see you tomorrow, Jess," she called sweetly before leaving.  
  
"Bitch," Rory whispered. She began to cry and buried her face into his waiting shoulder.  
  
"I'm soo sorry Rory," he sighed, wrapping his arms around her. "I got a tutor to help us get a better future and I just made matters worse."  
  
"It's not your fault," Rory told him through the sobs. "It doesn't matter anyway. I'm not going to Harvard."  
  
"What are you talking about Rory?" He pulled back. "We've already been through this. We planned it all out. I mean, I know there's no guarantee that it will work out, but I'm trying my..."  
  
"Stop it," she told him weakly. "I got kicked out."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Of Chilton! They kicked me out," she revealed, bringing back her tears.  
  
"Why? How could they do this Rory?"  
  
"They called me out of class, told me they don't allow pregnant girls at Chilton, and made me leave. They called had a whole PTA meeting about it and eveyone voted that I would be kicked out. It was so embarrassing Jess! Everyone knew. I felt so stupid." She cried and he pulled her into his again.   
  
"You need to sit down and take a deep breath. This isn't good for the baby." He lead her to the couch and she rested her head on his lap. He gently stroked her hair. "Everything's going to be okay," he whispered, as she closed her eyes and began to drift to sleep. "I love you," Jess said for the first time out loud, thinking she was asleep. He kissed her forehead.  
  
"I love you too." she whispered, her eyes still closed.  Jess smiled and leaned back and closed his eyes too. 


	12. The Father

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.   
  
  
Chapter 12  
  
I wanted to move the story a little closer to the birth. The first paragraph is just a summary of what happened over the months.  
  
Fast-forward a few months. Rory was 4 months pregnant and had begun to show a while ago, so she had left Stars Hollow High. She was attending night school and doing some home schooling with Lorelai as her teacher. Jess had gotten a new tutor and his grades had gone up to at least a B- or more in all his classes. He and Rory had sent applications to several colleges. The baby was doing fine, but they chosen not to find out the sex.  
  
It was Saturday morning. Jess and Luke were painting the guest bedroom which was upstairs, next to Lorelai's room. They decided to do the room with a pale green and light yellow color scheme, because those colors would work for a boy or a girl.  
  
"Okay, I'm sorry but there is no way I'm going to sleep with a crying kid next door," Lorelai complained. "My turn is over. It was over when Rory started sleeping through the night and that was the best day of my life. We threw a party and everything, it was great."  
  
"That's funny, 'cause I don't remember that."  
  
"You were a baby," Lorelai stated matter of factly.   
  
"Why would you have a party, the music would just wake me up and there would be no point to the party."  
  
"Okay, fine, maybe there wasn't a party," she admitted with a sigh. "You know what! Who made you so smart cause it definitely wasn't me.... Nope I wanted a stupid kid. One who I could play tricks on every day of the week and they would never be none the wiser," Lorelai continued. "Yup even after a week of switching their shampoo with glue they still wouldn't get the point and say 'Hey, maybe I shouldn't put this in my hair...because it's GLUE,' but NO, not you, you would probably smell the stupid glue before you even put in your hair and what fun would that be?"  
  
"So you're the one who switched my shampoo!" Luke yelled with anger.  
Rory, Jess, and Lorelai burst into laughter. Luke stood with the paint roller covered with green paint in his hand. "You think this is funny?"  
  
"Yeah," Lorelai cried through her laughter. Luke approached her and ran the painter roll up her back.  
  
"Now that was funny."   
  
"HEY!" Lorelai growled with a smile and grabbed the yellow roller, she smudged it into his face and rolled it up and down, side to side till his face was covered. Lorelai stood back and admired her work. "There." She laughed. "Come on, Luke, what do you got for me now?" she questioned mockingly as Jess and Rory watched with amusement. Luke turned and walked back toward the wall then began painting again. "What are you YELLOW!"  
  
Luke had to laugh at that one. He turned and grabbed a paint brush then walked towards her. She back up, her eyes on the dripping brush. She grabbed the paint sprayer. "Move any closer and I'll spray you."  
  
Luke up his hands up then looked past Lorelai. "Hey Emily," He greeted politely.  
  
"Oh yeah, right, like I'm gonna fall for the old someone's behind you trick."  
  
"No, Lorelai, she's really there," Jess insisted.  
  
"Yeah okay," she scoffed, "so if I did this..." She stopped, pointed, and sprayed the paint behind her towards the door way. "That wouldn't be good."  
  
"No, it wouldn't," Emily's voice cried as she wiped the paint from her face and watched it drip down her suit.  
  
"Oh my God. You have to be kidding me," Lorelai sighed, not wanting to turn around. 'Rory, please tell me you do a really good impression of Emily and that she's not standing behind me." Rory shrugged as Lorelai turned slowly and found her mother stand in the doorway, covered in green paint. "Hi Mom." She smiled, hiding the sprayer behind her back.  
  
**10 minutes later**  
  
After 5 minutes of hearing Lorelai apologize, Luke suggested that instead of having Emily stand in dripping wet clothes, she should get a tee shirt to change into. Lorelai agreed and found her mother one of her old "Budweiser" tees. 5 minutes later Emily exited the downstairs bathroom and found all four of them waiting for her in the living room. "Well, that was fun," Emily sighed sarcastically.  
  
"I'm soooo sorry Mom," Lorelai stated for the hundredth time.  
  
"She knows!!!" Rory, Luke, and Jess yelled together.  
  
"Yeah, so anyway." Lorelai smiled. "What brings you to Stars Hollow?"  
  
"I brought something for Rory," Emily announced excitedly.  
  
"For me?" Rory questioned with a smile. "What is it?"  
  
"You'll see. I'll go get the men." She grinned and ran to the front door.  
  
"She brought men?" Jess wondered out loud. "Should I be worried?"  
  
"Knowing her....Probably," Lorelai joked as Emily enter again.  
  
"This way boys." Emily motioned to two men who appeared to be movers. "Put it right here." She instructed and the men placed a beautiful dark wood rocking chair on the floor in front of them. The designs on the back were beautiful and her grandmother had gotten beige cushions, which were attached to the back and seat.  
  
"Oh my gosh. Grandma, it's amazing," Rory gushed as she struggled to stand and admire that chair. "Can I sit in it?"  
  
"Well, it's yours! Of course you can."  
  
"Wow. This is great." Rory smiled running her hands along the detailed wood armrest.  
  
"This is really beautiful Mom," Lorelai agreed with a grin. Maybe her mother had actually begun to understand that Rory needed her to understand and be there for her.  
  
"Isn't it? I saw it in an auction at the club last month and I just had to get it," she told them. "Supposedly, it belonged to one of the Kennedy's aunts."  
  
"Wow, I have a Kennedy chair!?" Rory asked with excitement. "This must have cost a fortune."  
  
"Well, yes." She paused. "But I never got you a present to congratulate you on the baby...so here it is.  
  
"Thank you." Rory smiled as she stood and hugged her. Emily smiled with satisfaction.  
  
"Oh Jess," Emily remembered. "I have a little something for you too. Rory's grandfather told me that he had a little talk with you about literature and he said that you enjoyed 'Oliver Twist'."  
  
"Yeah, It's a great book," he agreed as he stood to talk to her.  
  
"I found this in an antique book store in Vermont the other week when we vacationed there." She pulled out a book and handed it to him. He took it and opened it. "It's signed by the author himself, it's 5th edition." She told him as he stared at it with amazement. "I know it's not first edition or anything, but...."  
  
"NO, this is really great. Wow." He was speechless. "Thank you so much. This amazing."  
  
"You're welcome." She beamed at the wonderful reaction that her gifts had received. "Well, I have to be going. I have a bridge game at the club in an hour."  
  
"Thank you for stopping by, Mom." Lorelai smiled as everyone said good-bye and Rory hugged her again. "It was really nice of you," she told her as she escorted her to the door.  
  
"She's my family Lorelai. You don't turn your back on family," Emily stated simply, then opened the door. "Good-bye Lorelai."  
  
"Bye Mom." She smiled and closed the door behind her.  
  
**Later**  
  
RING RING  
  
Lorelai ran to answer the phone. She and Rory were having a movie night together and the call was interrupting Willy Wonka. She sighed and picked up the phone. "Who is it?"   
  
"Lorelai?"  
  
"Christopher?" she questioned nervously. This was the first time she had had contact with him in almost 6 months; he had no idea about Rory's pregnancy. "It's been awhile."  
  
"I know. I'm really sorry that I haven't called. Things been so crazy with work, traveling, Sherry...and the baby."  
  
"Yeah, well, pregnancy is very crazy. I can see how it would make you forget your daughter." She was angry that he hadn't called in such a long time.  
  
"Look, Lorelai, I'm really sorry, but I just felt awkward calling after everything that happened between us," he told her.  
  
"Yeah, well, Rory shouldn't have been punished for something that happen between us."  
  
"I know. It was wrong of me. I was just being childish."  
  
"Hold on, I'll get Rory, I'll see if she wants to talk to you," she told him, changing the subject. "RORY!" she called and her daughter appeared in the kitchen.   
  
"What do you want? I'm missing Willy," Rory complained.  
  
"It's your dad," she mouthed slowly and Rory took the phone reluctantly.  
  
"Hey Dad, what's up?" She paced back and forth.  
  
"Hey Ror. Not too much. How are you?"  
  
"I'm okay, I guess. You miss a lot of stuff around here."  
  
"I know," he sighed, "But I've been so busy lately."  
  
"With the baby?" she questioned.  
  
"Well...yeah." He paused uncomfortably then added, "And work."  
  
She sighed, giving Lorelai a look of desperation. "So when's the baby due?"  
  
"She's about 4 and a half months now," he told her and Rory's eyes widened. It was kind of weird to be as far along as her father's girlfriend. "So we have a while to go."  
  
"Yeah. So boy or girl?" she wondered.  
  
"Girl."   
  
Rory's heart sank, she couldn't help but feel like she was going to be replaced by this baby. It wasn't fair, her little sister would grow up with her dad there with her all the time. While Rory will have to wait half a year before getting her next phone call. " Well, that's great," she lied, getting uncomfortable. "I think I'm gonna go now."  
  
"Wait," he stopped her. "I wanted to know if it would be okay if I came and visited for the weekend."   
  
"This weekend?" she repeated. "I don't know..."  
  
"What's he saying? What about this weekend?" Lorelai whispered; she was listening to the conversation.  
  
Rory covered the phone. "He wants to come see me," she replied.   
  
"But you're..." She pointed to her stomach.  
  
"I know, but he has to find out somehow." She sighed. "What should I tell him?"  
  
"It's your decision, kid."   
  
Rory took a breath then uncovered the receiver. "Dad? Sorry." She paused. "Yeah, that sounds like a great idea."  
  
"Great! I'll be there tomorrow, bright and early," he told her and she heard Sherry call in the background. "I have to go."  
  
"Yeah, I heard," she replied, trying not to sound disappointed. "Before you go...what time do you think you'll be here?"  
  
"Probably around 10 or so."  
  
"Mom and I will probably be at Luke's having breakfast," she told him. "You know where Luke's is, right?"  
  
"Yeah, I remember."   
  
"Okay, meet us there then." He agreed, she paused. "Dad, Sherry's not coming, is she?"  
  
"No, not this time," he replied, knowing that Sherry wasn't Rory or Lorelai's favorite person. She heard Sherry call louder this time. "Rory..."  
  
"I know you have to go." She sighed. "See ya." She didn't wait for his answer before hanging up.  
  
"He's coming?" Lorelai asked, taking a seat at the kitchen, as Rory hung up the phone.  
  
"Yup." She sighed and sat down across for her. "Do you think that if I wear really baggy clothes I can hide my stomach?" she asked seriously.  
  
"Oh, please, with that huge thing!"  
  
"Mom!"  
  
"You have to tell him, sweets. Otherwise the next time you see him, you're going have a one year old kid with you."   
  
"I guess so," she agree reluctantly. "Let's go to bed, I'm tired."  
  
"Me too." The girls stood and headed to their rooms, thinking about how weird tomorrow's visit was going to be. 


	13. Like parent like child

Disclaimer: I don't own anything.  
  
Chapter13  
  
Christopher arrives in this chapter...enough said!  
  
Rory and Lorelai pulled their jackets closer to them as they made their way towards Luke's. It was 9:00 and both girls were nervous about Chris' arrival in an hour. Lorelai turned the handle and entered the diner to find Luke already behind the counter.   
"Coffee, and make it a double," Lorelai sighed as she slid onto the stool by the counter.  
  
"Tough morning?" Luke questioned, grabbing the pot and pouring the coffee.  
  
"It's gonna be a tough day," Lorelai corrected.  
  
"My dad is coming today," Rory informed him.   
  
"Wow. When was the last time you saw him?"  
  
"Ummm, six months ago," Lorelai replied.   
  
"Ohhhh." That was all he said before turning and walking towards the stairs. "JESS! Rory's here."   
  
Jess came rushing down the stairs and around the counter and kissed Rory's cheek. "Morning," he greeted the girls. "How do you feel?"  
  
"Fine. Tired." Rory smiled. "Could you get me some orange juice or something?"  
  
"Coming right up," he agreed and went to get her drink.  
  
"So...Jess," Lorelai called.  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"How does it feel to know you only have about an hour to live?" she questioned and he popped his head out of the kitchen.  
  
"What are you talking about?" he asked nervously.  
  
"Christopher is coming to visit today, and believe me, when he finds out that Rory's pregnant, you'll be on his hit list."  
  
"Rory's dad is coming here?" he questioned. "When did this happen?"  
  
"Last night. He called out of the blue," Rory told him. "I hadn't talked to him in like 6 months."  
  
"So, I take it that's why you two don't look too happy today?" he wondered.  
  
"Yeah, I mean I'm excited to see him, but I'm scared of what he's gonna say." Rory sighed and took a sip from the cup that Jess put in front of her.   
  
"It'll be fine," he comforted. "If your grandparents understand, anything is possible."  
  
"That's true," Lorelai interjected, grabbing Luke's arm and pulling in him into the counter. She turned his wrist and looked at his watch. "30 minutes and counting," she annouced as Luke pulled his arm free.  
  
"Want to warn me next time you're gonna do that?" he asked.  
  
"Where's the fun in that?"  
  
"So, what are we gonna do for 30 minutes?" Rory questioned. "I'm going crazy here."  
  
"Well, you can help out around here if you want," Luke told her. "We could use some extra help today, Caesar called in sick."  
  
"You mean, work here? On the other side of the counter," Rory stated.   
  
"Yeah."  
  
"But I've never worked in a restaurant before."  
  
"First time for everything," Luke handed her an apron. "Put this on."  
  
Rory stood and slipped the apron on, then had Lorelai tie the back strings. "How do I look?" she questioned.  
  
"You look like a working woman," she replied, then turned to Luke. " Luke, why don't you let Rory work here a few hours a week, just to get a little extra money for the baby?"  
  
"Yeah. That's fine," he agreed. He thought it would be a good idea for Rory to have a job. As far as he knew, she had never had a real job before and with the baby coming, she should get used to it.  
  
"Okay." Rory smiled, excited about her new job. "What should I do first?"  
  
"You can go take Miss Patty's order," he told her as she grabbed an order pad and pen.   
  
"Thanks Luke." Lorelai smiled.   
  
"This'll be good for her," he replied wiping the counter. "Besides, Rory's kinda like my daughter...you know...like..."  
  
"I understand. You don't have to explain."   
  
"So how do you feel about his whole Chistopher thing?"  
  
"Scared, upset, angry, excited..." She paused. "You name it, I feel it."  
  
"Hmm. Well, at least you'll have Jess and me here for moral support."  
  
"Yeah," she agreed. "What time is is now?"  
  
"It's only been 5 minutes," he replied with a laugh.  
  
**20 minutes later**  
  
Jess and Rory were cleaning Miss Patty's now empty table. "Wow, this woman can eat," Jess joked.  
  
"Sure can," Rory replied absently.  
  
"Everything's gonna be okay," he told her, reading her mind. She stopped and put down the plastic bucket that the dirty dishes go in.   
  
"I'm just scared," she sighed as Jess wrapped his arms around her.   
  
"I know," he replied, pulling away and grabbing the bucket of dirty dishes. "I'm gonna go clean these. Why don't you wipe off the counter?"  
  
"All right." She smiled and kissed him quickly before grabbing a cloth and heading behind the counter. She sighed nervously.  
  
"Sweetie, will you refill my cup before you start?" Lorelai questioned; she sounded nervous too.  
  
"Mom, you're shaking," Rory noticed.  
  
"What? OH! It must be the coffee," she lied, holding out her cup. "Can you just fill it?"  
  
"Yeah." She grabbed the pot and filled her mom's cup before replacing it back in the holder. She picked the rag back up and began washing the counter. Luke emerged from the kitchen and stopped in his tracks as he stare out the door.   
  
"Don't look now, but I think he's arrived," Luke told them and looked at his watch. "10:00 o clock on the dot."  
  
"Oh great. The one time he's on time." Lorelai sighed and took a long sip of her coffee. "Pretend like you don't see him," she whispered to Rory.  
  
"Mom!" she hissed, happy that her stomach was hidden by the counter. She smiled as her dad entered the diner. "Hey Dad," she greeted brightly.  
  
"That's right. Lay it on nice and thick," Lorelai whispered to herself, still looking at Luke. She had a look of desperation on her face and he could tell she was really upset.  
  
"Hey Lorelai." Christophed smiled awkwardly.  
  
"Hi," she replied, looking at him for a split second before looking back at Luke.  
  
"Umm. Luke right?" he questioned and Luke nodded. "I'm Christopher. I don't know if you remember me or not."  
  
"Yeah, I remember," he replied and accepted Chris's extended hand. "Haven't seen you in a while."  
  
Chris looked around awkwardly. "So Rory, I see you're working now." He smiled.   
  
"Oh yeah. Take a seat," she offered, pointing to the stool next to Lorelai. Lorelai looked down at the seat nervously as he sat. "Can we get you anything?"  
  
"Eggs and bacon," he replied. "I didn't have breakfast."  
  
"Okay." She turned her back quickly and walked into the kitchen. "He's here," she whispered to Jess, who was still cleaning dishes. "He wants eggs and bacon. How do you make that?"  
  
"Wait, forget the eggs and bacon for a second," Jess told her, washing his hands off and drying them on his apron. "What did he say about the baby?"  
  
"He doesn't know yet."  
  
"How could he not know?"   
  
"I was behind the counter so he couldn't see my stomach. God, Jess what am I going to do? I thought I could do it, but I can't! I can't tell him." She sighed.  
  
"Rory, look at me," he ordered, as she looked into his eyes. "It will be okay."  
  
"Okay. I just want to get it over with."   
  
"Come on then. I'll go with you." Jess took her hand and lead her out into the dining area.  
  
"Dad, I have to tell you something," she started and Jess gave her hand a squeeze.  
  
"Sure, what is it Rory?" he asked.  
  
"Umm...I...I can't find the bacon," she blurted out and began to back up, but Jess stopped her.  
  
"Oh. That's fine, I'll just have..."  
  
"No, that's not what I wanted to say," she stopped him.  
  
"Rory..." Lorelai interrupted, unsure if this was the best way to tell him.  
  
"MOM," she sighed, and Lorelai nodded. Rory reached into her pocket and pulled out a strip of paper. She looked at it for a minute, then put it down on the counter. Christopher picked it up. "They're ultrasound pictures."  
  
"I know," he sighed and rubbed his chin, then looked up at Lorelai. "I don't know what to say."  
  
"I didn't either," she told him, putting her mug down.  
  
"Well, congratuations." He smiled at her and Lorelai's eyes widened.  
  
"WHAT?" Lorelai questioned, grabbing the picture. "NO, this is not mine."   
  
"It's not? Then who..." he stopped in mid sentence and looked at Rory. Her eyes were laced with guilt and fear. "Rory?" he questioned, then looked over at Jess, who was looking down at the ground, his hand still locked in Rory's. "I don't believe this," he yelled. "What the hell did you do to my daughter?"   
  
"Hey, back off," Luke defended Jess.  
  
"Look Chris..." Jess started.  
  
"I don't want to hear it." Anger filled his voice. "I have to get out of here. I need some air."  
  
"Dad!" Rory called, the tears welling in her eyes. He didn't stop, he kept walking without another word.  
  
"I'll go talk to him," Lorelai offered, grabbing her back. She Rory, who had her face buried in Jess' shoulder. "Chris!" she yelled, trying to catch up to him. "Chris," she yelled one last time before reaching him. "Will you stop? Jeez." She sighed as he finally stopped.  
  
"How the hell did could you let this happen?" he questioned.  
  
"Hey, don't put this all on me!" she retorted.   
  
"I wasn't! I just don't understand this. How could this happen to my daughter?"   
  
"Oh, so now she's your daughter?" Lorelai yelled. "You don't want anything to do with her for 6 months and now she's your daughter?"  
  
"That's not fair, Lorelai. You know I've had a hard couple of months."  
  
"LIFE is not fair, Chris. I got pregnant at 15 years old, gave birth at 16, and I've been raising OUR kid alone for the past 16 years. ALONE, Chris. I went from minimum wage as a maid and worked my way up to owning my own inn. Sookie and I did it ALONE. I bought a beautiful house for Rory and me to live in, ALONE. And I spent the last how many years waiting for you to decide if you wanted to be with me and I waited ALONE!"  
  
"Lorelai."  
  
"And what is so hard about your life anyway? You travel all over the place on your motorcycle. Pop in to see your kid whenever you feel like it! Yeah, you and I had problems, but your poor daughter was here wondering what she did wrong. Why her father couldn't even take time out from his 'busy' life to make a phone call every once and while. What is that Chris?"  
  
"I said I was sorry."   
  
"You didn't say it to Rory," she stated sternly. "And she's the one that needs to hear it the most."  
  
"I know, I'm just upset right now."  
  
"Get over it Chris. For once do something that's not good for only Chris." She sighed. "Now we know what it was like for our parents."  
  
"I don't want to be like them, Lor."  
  
"Then don't," she said before turning and walking back in the diner. Christopher paused a minute before following her back in. 


	14. Lucy! Lucy! Lucy!

Chapter 14  
  
Christopher reentered the diner and found Rory shaking in a chair at one of the tables. Jess, Luke, and Lorelai were surrounding her and he paused for a minute. The four of them were a family now and he couldn't help but wonder if there was room for him anymore. Had he lost his chance to be a part of their lives?  
  
"Rory." His voice was half a whisper; she didn't look up. "Can I talk to her alone?"  
  
The boys looked at Lorelai unsure, but she nodded her head in agreement. Lorelai, Luke, and Jess left them alone and Christopher took a seat beside Rory. "I'm sorry Dad," she cried softly.  
  
"Don't be sorry. I'm the one that should be sorry."  
  
Rory looked up at him; confusion filled her eyes. "What do you mean?"  
  
"I know that I haven't been around for a while and I feel really terrible about it," he told her and paused for a minute like he was thinking really hard. "I want you to know that I'm not happy about the whole baby situation, but I am in no place to judge."  
  
"That's true," Rory agreed.  
  
"And I know what it's like...to be you and Jess right now," he added. "So don't be afraid to call me up and talk to me about it. Hopefully I'll be able to give you some advice."  
  
"Thanks Dad." She was very relieved at her father's sudden change of tone. She went over and hugged his neck quickly, then waved Jess over. He looked nervous and reluctant to agree, but eventually made his way over to the table (slowly). "Sit down."  
  
"Okay," he sighed and took a seat beside her. "So what's going on?"  
  
"We need to have a discussion," Chris told him with a growl.  
  
"Dad," Rory warned.  
  
"Sorry." He paused for a minute to regain himself. "Do you have a job? How old are you? Are you going to college? Where will you live? Do you have any money saved?"  
  
"Umm..."Jess mumbled, trying to remember everything he asked, " I work at Walmart and here at Luke's. I'm 17. Yes, I plan of going to college. I don't know where we'll live but we are going to get an apartment in Boston when Rory gets into Harvard. And yes, I have money saved."  
  
"You do?" Rory questioned, surprised. "You never told me that."  
  
"I know. I have about $3,000 saved up."  
  
"Where did you get all that money?" she wondered.  
  
"Most of my Walmart pay check went to the bank, all of my money from the diner and I had some saved before I came here," he explained. "And I sold my car. I only got a thousand for it."  
  
"I did not know that." She smiled and took his hand.  
  
"I know $3,000 is not enough but I figure we could use it for the hospital bill and some things that the baby needs like clothes and food."  
  
"Well, it seems like this baby is going to have a pretty decent dad," Chris told them, and Rory looked at Jess with pride.  
  
**5 months Later**  
  
It's been 5 months since Chris's visit and he has started to call at least twice a week.  With a little help from Lorelai, Luke, and Rory's grandparents, they were able to buy the baby everything it would need.  Everything was going perfectly and Rory was now 9 months pregnant, her due day was next week.  
  
Rory and Lorelai were sitting on the living room couch and watching reruns of 'I Love Lucy.' Lorelai smiled and laughed as Lucy shoved chocolates down her shirt. "I love that Lucy." She smiled at Rory.  
  
"Me too," Rory replied. "She kind of you reminds me of you."  
  
"Hey, I've never stuffed chocolate down my shirt," Lorelai defended herself and Rory gave her a look. "Fine, but it was one chocolate and it was white chocolate. That's completely different."  
  
"Says who?" Rory questioned. "It's still chocolate."  
  
"Fine, but at least I never baked bread that grew to the size of our kitchen."   
  
"I'm sure if you ever made bread you could manage it, Lucy," Rory mocked and Lorelai smiled as they resumed watching the show.  
  
Five minutes later, Jess came run in the front door. "Hey, there's this thing called knocking. Ever heard of it?" Lorelai wondered out loud.  
  
"Sorry," he replied, holding out a paper to Rory. "Look," he ordered and she took it.  She looked it over for a minute and her face brightened.  
  
"Oh my gosh, Jess," she screamed as he helped her stand up and she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I'm so proud of you."  
  
"HELLO!" Lorelai yelled.  
  
"Mom, he got straight A's on his report card," Rory gushed, then turned back to Jess. "I told you. You are so smart Jess, all you had to do was try."   
  
"Wow, congrats." Lorelai smiled.  
  
"Thanks Lor."   
  
"Ohh, this one's trying to congratulate you too," Rory told him as she felt the baby kick and Jess placed his hand on her stomach.  His grin widened as the baby kicked again.   
  
"Did you have dinner Jess?" Lorelai wondered. "We were just gonna go to Luke's."  
  
"Yeah, I was going back there anyway," he replied. "I have Luke's car if Rory doesn't want to walk."  
  
"No, that's fine I need a little fresh air and it's not that far." Rory told him as he grabbed her coat.  "Jess, it's June, I don't think I need that."  
  
"You never know, it could get cold out."  
  
"Wow, what happened to you?" Lorelai questioned. "Aren't you the same boy who stole a beer from my fridge and gave me an attitude the first time me met?"  
  
"No so much anymore," he answered as they left for Luke's. 


	15. Baby's baby

Chapter 15  
  
"Good afternoon Lukey." Lorelai smiled as they entered the diner and found Luke standing behind the counter as usual.    
  
"Don't call me that," he warned pointing his finger at her.  
  
"Sorry Lukey." She smiled and he gave her a look. "Sorry, that was the last time."  
  
"Luke, could you get me some water? I have a craving for water," Rory told him as she took a seat at one of the tables.  
  
"How could you crave water? It has no taste," Jess asked as he took a seat across from her and Lorelai pulled over a chair.  
  
"It does too," Rory objected, as Luke placed her drink in front of her.  
  
"Whatever you say."    
  
Rory smiled as she went to take a sip in mid air. "Owww," she screamed as the glass went flying to the ground and crashed.  
  
"Rory, sweetie. What's wrong?" Lorelai questioned, standing from her chair.  
  
"I don't know. It hurts," she yelled, gripping the table.  
  
"Oh my God!" Lorelai shouted. "Luke!! Luke get over here."  She waved feverishly.  
  
"What? What is it?"    
  
"I think Rory's in labor!!" Excitement filled her voice.  
  
"WHAT!?" Jess and Rory asked in unison.  
  
"Are you sure? Shouldn't we get her to the hospital?" Jess asked nervously, standing from his chair.  
  
"Oh, I'm sure we have plenty of time," Lorelai calmed him down. "Luke, give me your watch,"  she ordered, grabbing his arm. "It's 5:20 and your contraction just stopped."  
  
"Why are you tell me this?" Rory questioned, holding her stomach.  
  
"Because we have to see how far apart they are," Jess replied.  
  
"How the hell did you know that?" Luke gave Jess a funny look.  
  
"I did some research."   
  
"Wow, Jess. That's very responsible of you." Lorelai smiled. "Did you read 'What To Expect While You're Expecting'?  I heard that's a really good one."  
  
"No, I read 'Your Baby and You' and 'The Ins and Out's of Labor'," he told her. "I watched 'A Baby Story' on TLC too."  
  
"Aww. Yeah. That's a really cute show. With da wittle baby's"  Lorelai gushed. "How about 'A Personal Story'? That one's good too."  
  
"Did you see last week?" Jess questioned.  
  
"The plastic surgery." They smiled in unison.  
  
"HELLO!" Rory yelled. "It's great that you two have something in common, but I'm having a baby here!"  
  
"Oh sorry sweetie," Lorelai apologized and took her hand, Rory began to squeeze. "Oh owwww. owww," Lorelai cried as she bent to the ground from the pain Rory was inflicting upon her hand. "Time Luke," she struggled, as Rory's grip began to lighten. He looked at the clock nervously.  
  
"Come on Luke!" Jess ordered as he paced quickly around the table.  
  
"5:24," he yelled.  
  
"So that's one...two...oh God, I can't count. The pain!" Lorelai sighed as she pulled her hand from Rory's death grip and kissed it.  
  
"That's 4 minutes. We need to get her to the hospital." Jess walked over to Rory and helped her up.  
  
"Okay, okay, well go in my car," Luke announced.  
  
"No, your car is at their house.  I left it there because I walked with them."  
  
"Great," Luke sighed. "Okay, I'll run down there and get it, you guys be ready."  He grabbed the keys from Jess, then looked around at the customers in the diner. "We're closed! Get out," he yelled before leaving.  
  
**Luke's car**  
  
"Drive faster!" Lorelai ordered.  
  
"I'm going as fast as I can," he yelled nervously as they sat in traffic.   
  
"Get off the exit and take the back roads," Jess told him, as Luke turned the cars into the emergency lane and drove down the exit. "What road is it on?" Luke questioned after a few minutes.  
  
"Ross," Lorelai answered and pointed. "It's right there. TURN TURN!"  she yelled, Luke was about to speed right by it but stopped short, causing them to fly forwards. "Now I know where Jess got his driving skills from."   
  
"Not to mention his sense of direction," Rory added.  
  
"Hey, you're supposed to be in labor. Don't talk," Jess joked, as they pulled into the emergency entrance.  Jess helped Rory out of the cars and into a wheelchair.    
  
Luke began to get out.  "Sir, you can't park there," One of the nurses told him.  
  
"But...she's in labor," he protested.  
  
"Are you the father?"   
  
"Ewww, no! Do I look like I would be?"  
  
"You have to the park in the parking garage, sir," she repeated before pushing Rory inside.  
  
"Just hurry Luke," Lorelai sighed, as a tear fell from her eye.  
  
"Lor, are you okay?" he questioned. "What's wrong?"  
  
"My baby's having a baby," she replied before leaving to find Jess. 


	16. Happily Ever After

This is the last chapter. I know it took a while but i haven't been getting any inspiration so this chapter isn't as good as all the others.  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Lorelai paced back and forth in the waiting room. "Lorelai, sit down. You're making yourself a nervous wreck," Luke told her, patting the chair beside him.  
  
"Sit down? You. Want. Me. To. Sit. Down?!" she yelled (not in a mean way), as she stopped her pacing and stared at Luke.  
  
"On second thought, it probably better if you stay over there," he changed his mind. "I feel safer that way." Lorelai sighed and took a seat beside Luke, slamming her forehead on his shoulder." Do you always do the opposite of what people tell you?"  
  
"What's taking so long? They've been in there for 4 hours already." Lorelai asked. " That means that I have gone 4 hours without coffee. FOUR HOURS!"  
  
"That explains the moodiness," Luke whispered to himself. "I'm sure everything's fine," he comforted her.  
  
"Are you sure or just pretty sure?"  
  
"Lorelai."  
  
"Okay, I'm stopping my craziness right now," she sighed, then added, "At least for the night."  
  
"I knew it was too good to be true," he laughed and received a little slap on his chest.   
  
**20 minutes later**  
  
Lorelai was asleep with her head resting on Luke's shoulder. Luke was staring off into space when the delivery room doors swung open and the doctor walked out."Lorelai, get up," Luke called and she sat up, suddenly wide awake.  
  
"How is she? Is the baby here yet? Boy or girl? How much does it weigh? What did they name it?" She fired off questions at the doctor.  
  
"Whoa. Rory's fine, she had the baby, and they instructed me not to tell you the sex yet. It's 5 pounds 6 ounces and they haven't picked a name yet," he replied. "Any more questions that you missed?" The doctor laughed at her urgency.  
  
"Ummm...Rory, baby, gender, name, weight," Lorelai read off her list to herself. "Nope, I don't think so."  
  
"Is the baby healthy?" Luke added.  
  
"Ohhh, good question," Lorelai remarked, then turned her attention to the doctor.  
  
"That baby is perfect." He smiled. "All right, well I have to get back in there." He began to walk back into the waiting room.  
  
"Wait, one more." Lorelai called to the doctor. "When can we see them?"  
  
"Very soon," he replied before entering the doors again. The doctor walked by the delivery room to find the Jess sitting beside Rory, holding his baby.  
  
"He's soo cute," Jess gushed. "I think we did a pretty good job, Ror," he smiled and nudged her with his elbow. She stared up at him with a huge smile on her face. "What?"  
  
"Nothing," she replied. "It's just...it's amazing how much you've changed over the last 9 months."  
  
"I know I went from trouble maker to daddy in a split second." He laughed. "It's kinda pathetic when I think about it."  
  
"It's not pathetic at all," she corrected. "Now our baby is going to have the father he deserves."  
  
"Believe it or not...Dean is the reason why I changed."   
  
"DEAN?"  
  
"Yeah, that night when you were in the hospital and he said that I would end up a deadbeat dad... that really made me think," he admitted reluctantly. e"I decided then and there that I was going to be the dad that I had always wanted."  
  
"Well, you've done a great job so far."   
  
Jess was a little embarrassed about what he had just told her, so he decided that a change in subject was needed. "So what do you wanna name him?"  
  
"I don't know. Throw out some suggestions."  
  
"What about...Butch."  
  
"Butch? He doesn't look like a Butch," Rory laughed.  
  
"Sure he does. Look at him. He's a weight lifter waiting to happen."  
  
"I was thinking more like...William or Jonathan or Daniel."   
  
"No way, he needs a tough name, how about Duke?" he suggested.  
  
"I have the perfect name." She smiled slightly and looked up at Jess. "Dodger."  
  
"Dodger Christopher Mariano"  
  
"Christopher?" Rory repeated, surprised at his choice.  
  
"Yeah, I figured we should use his grandfather's name somewhere," he explained as Rory took Dodger from him.  
  
"I was thinking something else."  
  
"What were you thinking?"  
  
"Dodger Lucas Mariano." She smiled as she said it. " If it weren't for Luke, Dodger wouldn't even exist, because you never would have come to Stars Hollow."   
  
Jess nodded his head."I hate to think what my life would be like if I didn't come here. I'd probably be in jail or dead or on drugs and worst of all I would never have known you."  
  
"Oh, aren't you sweet," Rory joked.  
  
"And besides, Luke has been like a father to me."  
  
"Me too." She smiled and rested her head on his arm.   
  
"So I guess it's settled then." Jess announced. "Dodger Lucas Mariano."  
  
"Should we tell them to let my mom and Luke in now?" Rory laughed at the thought of how crazy her mom must be going in the waiting room.  
  
"Maybe we won't need to." Jess grinned as he heard Lorelai from down the hall.  
  
"That's it. I have waited long enough. I need to see my daughter before I lose my mind," Lorelai's voice echoed. "Which room is she in?" Rory laughed as she watched her mother storm right past her door. Luke was following behind her slowly, pretending not to be with her.   
  
"Luke," Rory called as he walked past the door.   
  
"Rory. Jess." He beamed when he saw the baby in Rory's arms. "LORELAI! You walked right past them."  
  
Rory heard her mother's shoes clicking on the tile at she ran back towards the room. "Hey," Lorelai greeted, not knowing what to do or say. She stood in the doorway.   
  
"You can come in, you know. He won't hurt you," Rory told her as Lorelai and Luke entered the room and walked toward the bed.  
  
"He?" Luke questioned.  
  
"So it's a boy." Lorelai smiled as she peaked into the blanket that Dodger was wrapped in. "Oh Rory. Jess. He's beautiful."  
  
"I know," Rory beamed.  
  
"So...?" Lorelai questioned.  
  
"So................?" Rory repeated with exaggeration.  
  
"I think she wants to know the namem" Luke told her with a laugh.  
  
"I know. It's funny to watch her get frustratedm" Rory joked.  
  
"Well, what is it?" Lorelai pushed.  
  
"Dodger Lucas Mariano," Jess replied.  
  
"Dodger? What kinda name is that?" Lorelai made a face.  
  
"Wait, his middle name is Lucas?" Luke wondered if her had heard it right. "I don't know what to say."  
  
"Don't say anything," Rory smiled and looked down at Dodger. "Do you want to hold him Luke?"  
  
"Me? Ummmm...I don't know. I don't wanna drop him."  
  
"You won't drop him," Rory laughed.  
  
"Hey, you never know, I dropped Jess when he was born...well actually he was a few months old, but still."  
  
"The explains a lot," Lorelai snorted with a laugh. "If he doesn't want him, I do." Lorelai leaned down and took the baby from Rory's arms. "Hey sweetie,"sShe cooed. "You're a cutie. Yes, you are," she gushed in baby talk as Luke leaned over and looked at Dodger. A smile spread across Luke's face. "Wow, a smile," Lorelai pointed out excitedly. "This is one special kid."  
  
"He definitely is." Rory agreed and linked her hands with Jess's.  
  
The End 


End file.
